From Weak To Strong
by ObviousHUN
Summary: SI/OC Self Insert. After a meeting with a fate worse than death, he finds himself in Gaia. (Rewritten as: Learning To Live Again)
1. Chapter 1

**From Weak To Strong**

 **IMPORTANT BEFORE YOU START THE STORY!**

 **First off I want to apologise in advance for the laziness how I will write down how my SI gets into FF7. I really don't have the mindset to write down the brutal torture and death that SI's family get (Same as my DBZ one although this one is more "OC" variant of that one, but same character and I renamed it so it would be more easier to read and put it into english since I'm from hungary). So I die with my family, sadisticly, and everything mankind writes, creates and beyond EXISTS, in difference existence, although if someone is really really damaged mentally sometimes "they" choose where they go to, like in this case. The reason for a death like this, will be of course explained later in the story. Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 1:Hollow Beginning

Blaise (English form of Balázs) Barko. An 18 year old high-schooler who couldn't get a break from life. His height is 167cm, Blue eyes, dark brown, hair.

He was a kind kid, albeit weak physically, who set himself a standard which he couldn't quite set for himself. He wanted to reach for something but he was lazy. He berated himself time and again for this but he never really put a stop to it.

He never really had friends. People never really wanted to anything with him even when he wanted to approach, and even when he got into a crowd, they used him for no reason. He felt pain…

But that pain was nothing compared to the death, and torture he faced before his departure from life.

His mother, father, older brother, tortured and killed right before his eyes.

He died after them. It's a question if his sister met the same fate as they did.

* * *

Hojo, head scientist of Shinra, was doing his regular inhuman experiments.

He was in the middle of a sample test from a red-lion like creature, when an energy reading device which was measuring the flow of the lifestream activity, spiked off the charts! It was like the planet itself was scared.

"What is this?" Asked Hojo clearly intrigued by this phenomenon.

Then as abruptly as it came it stopped as fast. The readings became normal again.

' _I wonder what was the cause of this…'_ Thought the scientist with curiosity. He checked the log of the readings, and the highest it was in Midgar. Around the Sector 5 slums. ' _I send the turks to investigate this Anomaly'_ Hojo didn't knew how accurately described him.

* * *

Blaise opened his eyes. _'Where am i? What is this place?'_ were his first thoughts.

'I should be dead!' How, how is he alive? He clearly remembers the pipe that sadistic asshole beat his legs breaking every possible bone in his body along with-!

Along with the rest of his family.

He wanted to cry, he wanted to lash out, he wanted to forget what he saw.

But he couldn't cry, because he cried enough when he begged him to stop.

He couldn't shed anymore tears.

He cooled down after a minute and scanned his surroundings...There was a fuckin plate above him, and he swears he never was in place like. It does look very familiar to him. He steps of the big garbage pile, and something catches his eyes. There was a sword next to the dumpster he just landed on, and it was long sword, its blade was sky blue, and the hilt was black & white.

' _Good thing I had sword classes, at least I'll be able to defend myself.'_ he grabbed the sword but he could only carry it in his hand, because there was no scabbard for it. He started walking and he noticed a chapel, and opposite of it was a writing. Shinra electric power company.

"Wait, wait wait…WHAT?!" he exclaimed with no shortage of shock.

' _How, why?'_ he asked himself how the fuck he got into the Final Fantasy 7 world. But his memory was fuzzy. After his death he recalls a hooded figure but couldn't recall what he was talking about.

' _Of course I couldn't recall it,'_ he thought with sorrow now ' _I was busy mourning my lost.'_ even now he wanted to mourn them. ' _Dad, mom…'_ the only four people who mattered most to him were dead. And he was here.

Alone.

* * *

After the initial shock, he started to think what he should do. Or even if he wanted to anything at this point. He looked at the sword in his hands. ' _...Well there is a grim thought…'_ for a second he contemplated on suicide.

But he was too much of a coward to actually do it.

He sighed and made up his mind to go to Sector 7, hoping that the plot haven't started yet.

He walked a good half an hour until he ran into some thugs. They were trying to rob a kid.

"Brat this is our territory, you have to pay up if ya don't wanna get," dramatic pause from the leader then cue the evil grin."some nasty scars." The kid couldn't be older than 13, pissed his pants.

He was watching it from afar. _'Bastards. You even need to gang up on someone who's weaker than you to have some balls to do it!'_ he thought angrily. It reminded of him the people who bullied him back in highschool, just because they could. He normally wouldn't get into fights. He could but often wanted to avoid. He hated fights.

But Blaise right now could use some venting.

The brunette started walking towards them "Hey!" the leader turned towards me, as did the rest of them.

"Why you are picking on the ones who are smaller than you?"

"What's it to you?" asked the leader "Mind you're own business if you don't wanna get your balls cut off."

He smiled innocently at the threat and in my mind he knew he was going to enjoy this.

"At least I have some. And I don't pick on those who are weaker than me." Then he continued to fake apologetically, "My bad I didn't wanna pick a fight with you guys."

One of the thugs started to smirk "smart move." but the leader smacked his head.

"Idiot, he was sarcastic!" then turned his head towards me "Let the kid go Fli, we gotta teach this kid a lesson!" and all of them grabbed their knives from their pockets and started to surround me.

He readied his sword. He wasn't the best swordsman, but from what his teacher told him he was pretty solid.

They charged at him but stepped back and, He was able to swing my sword at his hand and knocking the knife off one of the thugs hands. He yelped, at how quickly I disarmed him.

The second was bit more trickier. His defense was never perfect, especially at thrusting attacks. After a few narrow dodges, He slashed at his hand, blood was coming off of it, but he didn't cut off anything from him… yet.

He however made a mistake at only focusing on the second guy. The leader was on his left and he managed to cut Blaise's left arm. He quickly stepped back and grunted from the pain.

The leader charged at him again, but the brunette ducked and kicked him in the stomach, using the momentary stun he swiped his sword at the leaders knife knocking at away quite far.

"It's done, you lost." He said it to them fatly. "Now leave kids like him alone would you?" I turned and start to walk away. But then he heard the kid yell "Watch out!"

He was naive to think that if he proves himself the alpha then they would lay off and scram.

That was the reason he caught off guard. He turned around to see the leader was about to lunged at him, but he didn't.

Because out of reflex Blaise thrust the sword through his chest. He was shocked. The man's death was almost instantaneous and blood leaked. To his sword and some, even to the brunette's jacket.

"YOU MOTHERFUCKER!" yelled the previously known Fli, "We will kill you for this one day!" and both of them fled. The brunette however was still shocked. He never killed before. He knew he had to do this sooner or later. But he was barely an hour into Gaia, and he already had to kill. He shook his head. He could break down later.

He pulled out the sword from the man. And looked at the kid's horrified face.

He couldn't tell if he was horrified of the man's corpse, or of me.

"I'm sorry you had to see this kid," He looked at kid with regret. "I never killed anyone before, and I definitely didn't wanted you to see this… No one should." The kid ran off and he started stumble his way to Sector Seven.

Unbeknownst to him, a certain flower girl saw most of what was going on from afar.

* * *

Tifa Lockhart, one of the survivors of the Nibleheim "incident". She scoffed at it. It wasn't an incident, it was slaughter. The day when everyone she cared about died, her father included.

She was nearing closing hour for her bar, and she was on a break. Barret went with his daughter Marlene cause she wanted to take a walk with her daddy, Biggs and Wedge to get the necessary components to make the bomb to blow up one of the mako reactors. Jesse slept in the "secret base."

What she didn't expect was to find a man bloodied man leaning next to a wall with an equally bloodied didn't really knew what to do with him, but she wanted to think that was his blood more than others. So she approached him albeit with a slight hesitation in her voice.

"...Excuse me," she started. He turned to her his eyes unfocused for a second then slightly surprised.

She brushed it off. "Do you need help, you look worse for wear." He then checked himself.

' _Oh yeah, was busy pitying myself, I forgot I was covered in blood'_ thought with some sarcasm the man. _'Oh shit! This is Tifa! When did I even get here?!'_

"Uhhm, I was cut with a knife, but…" she noted how his voice dropped."This isn't my blood...I-It was for self defense!" he held up his hand in a placating manner. She relaxed at this. Death wasn't stranger around the slums, but based on his behavior she noted that he is not from around here.

"It's alright I believe you." Tifa answered in a calm manner, to which he relaxed."Come with me, that wound needs to be checked." she offered to which he replied with a thank you.

She led him to her bar. There were no customers at the time so she decided to may as well close up earlier today.

"Take a seat, I'll get some bandages for it." with that she went behind the counter where she kept the first aid. He took a seat next to the corner, opposite of the "arcade game".

Meanwhile Blaise finally noted what he was wearing. He wore a tan colored thin jacket which was bloodied, a black hooded sweater, and a white T-shirt with two blue stripes on each sleeve. He was wearing his black watch which he got for his 13th birthday. Blue jeans, and black, blue shoes.

He removed the bloodied jacket, and jumper. He noticed the small cut it he got from his fight,

But he was mostly concerned with fix the hole in his clothing.

"It's nothing, serious I think." Blaise told her "I'm actually more worried about the blood on the jacket, and my blade than about this." He finished pointing a finger on his wound.

"I can wash it if it's that much of a problem for you." She offered. "Besides it can't hurt to disinfect the wound." He shrugged, she was right though. She poured some alcohol on the bandage, and started to wrap it around my arm. It stinged but hey, he experienced worse.

Meanwhile he also noted how beautiful she looks. Let's just say that if he wouldn't had a shit day so far, the key in his pants would be hard. His musing was interrupted by her question.

"What's your name?"

"Blaise Barko...And yours miss?" Of course he already knew her name but he had to keep up appearances.

"Tifa Lockhart." She answered back, then continued with a small smile."Don't miss me, it makes me think I'm old." And for the first time he came here he chuckled faintly.

"By the way may I ask what happened that made this mess?" she asked picking up his jacket. But she noticed his now sorrowful expression. She cursed inside. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

"...Well," he started trying to keep a steady voice. "I arrived recently I walked through the slums. When I noticed three guys threatening a kid. I stepped up and knocked down their knives from their hands with this sword." he explained and pointing at it. " I let my guard down, and the leader lunged at me, the only reason I was able to react was because the kid warned me. I instinctively slashes plunged my sword-rd through him." his voice started to shake a little bit. "The others f-fled and threatened me." he finished with a remorseful expression on his face.

"It's not your fault, you even defended that kid, and who knows what they might have done to the kid had you not intervened." She assured him. "You got nothing to be remorseful about." she finished the matter factly.

He knew she was right, but still, he felt wrong. He also knew that soon this will become a regular occurrence if he decides to join AVALANCHE.

Meanwhile Tifa decided to pour a glass of whisky to him. And put it on the table in front of him."Thank you but...I don't have any gil on me to pay you." he said to her apologetically.

"It's on the house you don't have to worry." She assured him.

"Then bottoms up!" and just as quickly as it was poured it was finished just as quickly.

"Thank you!" he thanked her but she was still a bit surprised how quickly he drank all of it.

Well what could he say, Hungarians can drink quite a lot.

He was about to ask if she knows anywhere he could work for the time being when 4 figure barged in the bar.

It was Mr. T… Or should I say Barret with Marlene sitting on his shoulder Biggs and Wedge.

"Yo Tiffa we got the necessary things to make that bomb!" he exclaimed clearly not bothering to look at the corner where Blaise was sitting.

"A bomb!?" I asked. Everyone stiffened. Barret put Marlene down who went behind the counter. He pointed his gun arm at me.

"Tifa I thought you were closed!" yelled Barret.

"I was closed, because I had to treat him because!" She yelled back.

Barret started taking deep breaths to call himself.

"What should we do with you…" he mumbled it out while in thought.

"He shouldn't be killed just because you were careless." chimed in Wedge

They heard mumbling from Blaise, but they didn't understood.

"Speak up!" ordered Barret. After a moment Blaise took a breath and with an equal amount of vocal power answered.

"If you'd kill me you might even do me a goddamn favour!"

Well this certainly was unexpected and let's just say they were shocked.

He really did not care what happens to him.

' _What happened to him that he is so not caring about if he lives or dies?'_ Tifa thought.

Sure, he killed someone, but that shouldn't warrant for him to even commit suicide.

Jesse finally had enough and came up. "What's this yelling about!"

"Why?" was the simple question Barret asked, to the kid.

"None of your business." the brunette stated flatly.

"And I'm not a snitch, so I'm not going to sell you guys out. It's none of my business whose ass you gonna blow it up." Barret was again thinking to either go along with it or not.

Biggs, who was quiet this entire time a thought occurred to him.

"What's your opinion about Shinra?" Asked Biggs.

"They killing the planet, providing energy, and a bunch of assholes." Blaise answered in a deadpan voice. Barret caught on why Biggs asked this.

"How old are you?" asked Barret.

"Eighteen."

"...Why are you so uncaring if you live or die" asked Barret with small sympathy in his voice.

Blaise is had a blank look on his face. After a moment he coldly said. "None of your business."

Barret decided not to pry. He noticed the bloodied sword next to me."That yours?" the brunette nodded. "Why is it bloodied?

Blaise felt uncomfortable by this question. Luckily for him Tifa decided to interject.

"I'll tell you later, it's a sore subject for him right now." Barret nodded at this.

"One final question. Do you have experience with swords?" Barret asked.

Blaise knew now that Barret is thinking of recruiting him. But does he even want to join up?

...May as well go along with it, it's not like he got anything better to do.

"I was trained using swords, but never experienced many battles with it." he answered him honestly. He knew that he was inexperienced when real shit hits the fans.

Barret hummed, in thought then made up his mind. "Do ya wanna join AVALANCHE?"

"Barret!" Tifa interjected. She didn't really like it, because she feared this kid will just use this as an excuse to get himself killed!

"It's his choice Tifa." Barret simply answered.

"Well, I don't have anything, might as well join up."Blaise answered. "Where do I sign up?" he asked with a small smirk.

"You're in kid. My name is Barret Wallace, and this is my daughter Marlene." Barret formally introduced himself. Marlene came out and shyly bowed then went next to her father.

Blaise smiled faintly at her. He couldn't help it the little girl was adorable.

"And these are Biggs, Wedge and Jesse..."

* * *

After the initial introductions, Tifa prepared an extra blanket and pillow for the new member of AVALANCHE. He of course will be sleeping where the trio-who-would die slept, in that small room underneath the bar. After Tifa showed me where I was sleeping she went to prepare dinner for us. We finished the dinner and Barret told me that Jesse and Biggs will get the codes for the reactors tomorrow.

That means Tifa would find Cloud either tomorrow or the day after that. Plus the plan for the reactor raid isn't quite finished yet.

"Thank you for the food." the brunette thanked Tifa. Then something popped into my head which he forgot to do. "Have you got something that I could clean this up?" he asked holding his sword. She gave him a wet rag, and he went outside to clean it up.

Barret was about to ask why the kid had ketchup on him but Jesse beat him to it.

"…Hey Tifa?" asked Jesse in a hushed voice so Blaise couldn't hear them by accident. "Why was this guy covered in red?" Everyone in AVALANCHE wandered about that.

"He just came into Midgard, he saw a trio harassing a kid. He stepped up for him, defeated them with his sword, then walked tried to walk away and leave them be, but the leader of the thugs lunged at him. He let his guard down, and accidently stabbed through the guy killing him. The other two fled and threatened to kill him." Tifa finished re-telling the story that Blaise told her.

"That's why he is depressed?" asked Wedge. "I mean I wouldn't feel good killing a guy like that, but I definitely wouldn't feel bad about it." Finished Wedge but then a thought came into mind. "Unless this was his first kill…" In the slums there were always people fighting or try to kill you. It was the main reason Barret made himself clear that he is the 'big guy' around here. That's why no one even dares to even think about harming anyone around here.

"It was," Tifa sourly confirmed it."He told me he never killed anyone before. In fact the very 1st thing he said to me that this blood isn't his and it was for self defense."

Everyone was silent.

"However…" Tifa continued. "Why the hell you guys had to offer him AVALANCHE?" she hissed.

"...He looked lost Tifa." whispered back Biggs. Tifa gave him a confused look so he decided to elaborate. "He has this look in his eyes deep down that's screamed pain and sorrow and just plain "I don't know where should I go". I think these was also one of the reason you decided to bring him here to clean him up."

"That is true." She conceded.

Biggs smiled at this. He loved it when he was right. But then his face also became a bit regretful. "I wonder what happened to him that made him this depressed. Killing someone didn't help his mental state either."

Barret started to feel like shit. Maybe he shouldn't have been so brash about his questions.

Tifa was about to tell Barret that he should apologise to him when he came back inside.

Blaise came back inside he looked at his sword and face palmed. He forgot something that is indeed important.

How the hell is he going to carry this sword!? He isn't going to carry it in his hands all the time!

"I don't suppose you guys got a scabbard in which I can carry this thing, huh?"

Tifa gave a faint smile and throw him a palm sized, circle shaped metal. He gave her a confused look. "That is a portable magnetic carrier." She started explaining "You can attach to your back so you can carry that sword of yours. Even SOLDIERS are using it" His eyes was shocked.

' _Wait, wait, wait… SO THIS IS HOW CLOUD IS CARRYING THAT HUGE ASS SWORD?!'_

He thought clearly surprised. He was smiling. Tifa thought he was relieved at not having to carry that sword in his hands, but in actuality…

' _YES! I finally got my answer how he carries it!'_

After the internal cheering he went to sleep, and did the rest of them.

* * *

Blaise was awakened from his sleep by a loud "WHAAAT!?" from Barret. He yelped out of the blanket. On the clock it was 12pm. He was surprised that he slept a little over 14 hours.

He went up to see what was the ruckus about.

There was Tifa, Barret, Wedge...and Cloud. ' _How long did I slept?!'_ he thought rhetorically.

"I accept the job for 1500 gil." stated Cloud. Tifa whispered something to Barret. Probably about needing more man power for this.

"Fine! You're hired" Barret accepted grudgingly. Blaise was silent but they noticed me " Good you're up. We gonna hijack the train tonight which is heading to Reactor no.1"

He then pointed at me "He is Blaise he joined yesterday," then at Wedge "and he is Wedge."

"We can introduce ourselves Barret." I deadpanned to him, and he gave me a look that says 'shut up' then continued "There are two others who will also come, but right now they are getting the codes for us, and ID's."

"I'm not interested in their names." Cloud said flatly. Blaise always wondered how could he get Zack memories, and yet still be an asshole.

Barret huffed. Then something came into the brunette's mind. "By the way, since you explained the plan, does this mean that that Biggs and Jesse knows about it?"

Wedge decided to answer. "Yeah we finished the plan while you were sleeping."

Cloud went outside doing who knows what. So he ask the obvious question.

"Who is that guy?"

"He is my childhood friend," Tifa answered. "He was in SOLDIER 1st class at that."

Blaise picked up that he mentioned SOLDIER somewhat hesitantly. He knew of course that Cloud just thinks he was in SOLDIER.

He nodded. "I'll take a walk, I need a fresh some fresh air"

Barret snorted at the 'fresh air' term. "Don't go too far. We gonna start heading to the station in a few hours."

"Plus dinner is going to be ready soon." Tifa interjected.

"All right."

Blaise went outside, to see Cloud waiting arms fold.

"Can I see your sword?" he asked

"Why?" I asked him back.

"Looks unique."

He shrugged, he knew Cloud isn't a thief so he gave it to him.

Cloud was genuinely interested in this when he saw it on this kid. From the looks of it he deduced that blade on it was made of materia! There were very few people on Gaia who could make a sword like this. It was also sharp, and had 2 pair of materia slots on it.

"Say, where did you found this sword?" he asked with interest.

"Found it yesterday in a dumpster."

Cloud was shocked. Who in their right mind would throw away a sword like this?

"Whoever it was that was a dumbass. The blade is made out of materia." he told Blaise who was dumbfounded that it was made out of materia.

"Whoa!" he was amazed by it.

"Do you know how to use a sword?"

"I have training, but lack experience." He answered him.

"So you haven't had many fights huh?" he concluded.

He simply nodded.

A thought occurred to the 'Ex-SOLDIER' a rare smirk came across his lips.

"Are you up for a spar?"

"Yeah, I want my ass kicked. Sure" He agreed sarcastically.

He gave the sword back to him.

And the ass kicking lasted 4 minutes.

Blaise was panting after he got one of the most one sided spar in history.

"You have a decent swordsmanship. But you lack focus and stamina."

Stamina, yeah he got it he was always working on it.

And the lack of focus… well he was still processing a lot of things.

"You were in SOLDIER I wasn't. We both know this was one sided."

"True." he agreed. "But you have potential. You also accepted defeat, before we even begin." he informed me. "With a mindset like that you will always lose." he put his sword on his back. "Remember that." He was about to leave but he had to ask. After all he was curious after this.

"What's your name?" Blaise was tired of this question, and had "really!?" look on his face besides Barret **did** tell his name. Nonetheless he answered it tiredly.

"Blaise." he shook his head.

"Not your first name, I meant your last name." Oh so he was paying attention.

"Barko. Blaise Barko."

"Unusual name." the brunette's eye twitched.

"And yours?"

"Cloud Strife."

"And my name is the unusual one." Blaise commented out loud. He only scratched his head. Apparently he didn't think through his comment about his name.

"The food is ready!" Tifa came out and told us. Blaise was really hungry.

They finished it. "It was delicious!" the brunette praised her cooking. She had a smile of appreciation on her face. "By the way did you two spar?" she asked.

Blaise snorted. "More like one sided ass kicking." mumbled it out.

"I mean my arms are somewhat numb, so it's good that we have a few hour break before the reactor."

Barret was at least somewhat relieved that blondie can back up his talk about his skill.

But he also noted the kid was also a bit more uplifting than yesterday.

"Blaise, got a sec?" asked Barret

"Yeah." they both went out of earshot.

"Look I ain't doin' this often, but sorry for asking some of those home hitting questions." He hurried through the words, not wanting to appear soft.

"It's cool." he sighed. "I understand why you asked them."

"Right. Rest up 'cause we gonna go soon." he informed me.

After few hours Barret told them to start packing, they are starting the raid.

' _Reactor number one, here I come'_ thought Blaise as he followed Barret.

* * *

Hojo was not in a good mood. The Turks found nothing around the area where the reading happened.

' _Lifestream doesn't act up on a whim!'_ The anomaly is out there, and he wants to find it!

"Professor Hojo!" came in an assistant out of breath.

"What is it?" he hissed.

"JENOVA shows neural activity!"

He quickly followed and sure enough, the reading showed an 1% increase in neural activity.

' _So... The reunion is almost at hand hmm'_ he chuckled menacingly.

* * *

 **That's it for the 1st chapter of this fic.**

 **I also would like to mention that it is possible I'll retcon some of the things I mentioned on the top.**

 **Also please don't expect impressive writing from this story, I only doing it as a hobby!**

 **also Blaise WON'T BE EMO FOR LONG!**

 **See ya guys later!**


	2. Chapter 2

**I decided to retcon (lol) the whole Existence crap for this whole fanfic, and also the cloaked/hooded man I mentioned in the last chapter is scrapped, so it didn't happen. I'll delete it and re-write that part, but for now I'm really lazy to do it.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 2: Bombing Mission**

* * *

The way to the meeting point went smooth. No one in their right mind would mess a 2m tall man with gun-arm.

"So," Blaise started. "I still don't know the details, could you enlighten me what we going to do exactly?" He fastened his steps so he could catch up to Barret.

"We are going to stow away, on the train which takes us to the reactor," Barret explained in a low voice. "Biggs and Jesse, have the codes, Cloud is going to plant the bomb. We will have ten minutes to escape from the reactor." Barret looked at him. "I hope you can use that sword effectively. You, spiky, and me will be doing most of the fighting."

He nodded in understanding. He was thinking how is he going to deflect bullets but he'll figure something out.

"Do they know about him?" he asked pointing his thumb towards Cloud.

"I messaged to Biggs through my PHS. Luckily they had enough time to fabricate a fake ID for him too."

After a short while they arrived at the station. Barret's PHS rang. It was Biggs.

"Where are you?" Barret asked.

" _We saw it came earlier then scheduled, so Jesse and me decided to hijack it. We are there... right about now."_ and they indeed heard a train coming. It was Biggs behind the wheels, who stopped it on time. Biggs and Jesse leaped out with a satisfied smirk on their faces.

"Nice work," Barret praised, but then he lectured. "But next give us a goddamn heads up if you go improvising!"

"Yeah,yeah" Jesse replied nonchalantly, she then noticed Cloud. "Who's he?"

"Mercenary." was Cloud's simple reply.

She was about to ask more questions, when Barret butted in.

"Alright, questions for later we are on a time people, short version she's Tifa best friend." He then went inside one of the wagons and motioned at them. "Move in!" The AVALANCHE leader ordered.

Blaise went inside the same wagon as Barret, Cloud went to the top of it, Biggs was behind driving seat, Wedge and Jesse was in the first and second wagon.

"It should take us about 13 minutes to reach the reactor." Barret informed the brunette.

The ride was a bit bumpy. Looked like Shinra wasn't about to renew their train tracks.

Blaise found some nostalgia in it since this was the definite starting point of the game.

He even tried to play the theme for the mission in his head. ' _And of course the freaking guard scorpion. When I played it when I was six I kept dying to him because I was a retard.'_ he thought about the good old times with a hint of a smile.

For Barret this was the time, to give the kid some speech. Tifa was worried about him, especially at his outburst when he was questioning the kid. The pain, the sadness, and just plain welcoming the afterlife with open-arms attitude. He remembered how empty he felt when Corel was burned to the ground. The hatred and anger he felt mixed with grief and sorrow, was almost unbearable. He shuddered to think what he would have done had he not found Marlene in the burning wreckage of the town.

"Look," Barret started catching his attention. "I don't know what happened that has given you this attitude, but you have to rise up from that. So no suicide attempts you hear? It's shit but you got to live." Finished his speech to him.

Blaise haven't said anything for a moment, but he rebutted.

"...What's to live for, when EVERYTHING you ever cherished, faded away in the most brutal way imaginable?" he asked low monotone voice, trying his best to keep his emotions in check.

Barret for the moment haven't said anything. From this one sentence he was able to deduce one thing.

He lost everything.

Barret couldn't really respond.

"I'll tell you at least one thing." Blaise gathered the courage to enlighten him a bit" I don't even wish it upon who caused it." That was true. Blaise was always empathetic guy, and there was a level and pain he would never wish it anyone, even though he was able to be vengeful, to a certain degree.

"But even so," he continued with sigh. "I at least will try to rise up."

"Good to know." The leader said with a sympathetic smirk. However inside there was one thing on his mind. _'What kind of sadistic shit did he went through, to not even wish it upon who caused it!?'_ He thought. _'Is it related to Shinra?'_

Just the thought of what those pigs make people do made him wanting to throw up.

His line of thought was interrupted by the train's brake.

"Ride's over!" he told the young swordsman.

* * *

Blaise managed to catch a glimpse of Jesse kicking a guard in the stomach.

Barret motioned to follow them. As he was running after them he noticed there were two sets of stairs. ' _Huh, so the closer one is where the two MP will come down. Another thing to tick off my list.'_ He halted his thoughts and went upstairs.

Biggs and Wedge were keeping watch, while Jesse started hacking the door.

Barret came behind them.

"All right, people keep watch, and don't get so cramped up! We are easy target this way!" he ordered us then stormed off to a direction, most likely to check if MP's are coming. Wedge watched the direction Barret went, and Blaise decided to keep his eye on the opposite of it.

After a few seconds Cloud came up with his disinterested facial expression.

Biggs feeling uncomfortable because of his giant-ass sword he wanted to start a conversation.

"You used be in SOLDIER huh? Not everyday you find them in a group like ours." he commented.

For poor Jesse this was a shocking news to her. Her head turned directions to Biggs so quickly, that if she would have done it any faster, her neck would be broken.

"HE!? SOLDIER!?" exclaimed in shock. "Aren't they the enemy?"

Biggs sighed."He was in SOLDIER, but he quit and works for us now." He explained, then turned towards Cloud."I didn't catch your name though."

"Cloud…" he simply answered.

"Cloud eh? I'm-" Biggs was interrupted by him shaking his head.

"I don't care about your names, once this job is over, I'm outta here." Cloud spoke without a hint of care. Blaise however saw a fault in logic in this.

"Yet, you were interested in my name." He commented. Cloud looked at him and replied.

"Because you can use a sword, and actually not bad with it." he answered factly.

Barret was coming on their way. Blaise realised that they were still cramped up.

"The fuck y'all doing? I told you to spread out!" he shouted.

"Our target is the north mako reactor, we'll meet at the bridge, get going!" he ordered the rest of AVALANCHE.

The way to it was pretty narrow, but it was possible to hope over a few pipes and get to the reactor railings faster. Blaise decided to follow the path since that was more easier for him to follow. While he was running he noticed a guard dog, waiting for to ambush an intruder.

He drawn his sword, and saw the dog leap out and try to get him on the ground.

He was unsuccessful. Blaise anticipated it, and slashed the dog. He felt wrong for doing it, but he shook his head and went where the entrance to the reactor itself was.

"Open fire!" he heard a shout behind him, there two MP's. They were about to fire at him, when Cloud arrived behind them and sliced them with his Buster Sword.

"Thanks." He thanked him, but he gave no reaction. We both went inside the reactor.

Unlike in the game, they had to wait for Biggs, Jesse and Barret to arrive.

' _Was I this fast, or Cloud just flipped Barret off and came quickly here?'_ Blaise wondered about that. They waited for them a full minute before the trio arrived.

"Took you long enough." Cloud stated the obvious.

Barret sent him a glare but didn't offered a response.

Biggs went to decipher the code.

"You ever been in a mako reactor before?" The leader asked the blond haired swordsman.

"No, after all I didn't work for Shinra y'know." Cloud replied sarcastically.

"The planet is full of mako energy. People use it everyday." Barret started his rant.

"They sucking out the planet's blood with these machines." Cloud shrugged.

"I'm not here for a lecture, let's just do it." Barret clenched his fist, but let it go.

"From now on we are going in together." He ordered Barret. Blaise had a weird thought.

' _God please don't tell me I'd have to join bodies with Cloud.'_ the thought alone sent shiver down his spine. Luckily for him he didn't had to.

Biggs finished deciphering the code, and the door unlocked. Surprisingly the hallways, were empty.

' _No wonder we would be able to blow these up! What a bunch of jackasses.'_ Blaise thought astonished by their stupidity.

They took the lift, with Jesse. Barret decided to continue his earlier lecture.

"Little, by little the reactors sucking the life out of the planet, and that'll be that."

Cloud shrugged again. "Not my problem." Barret was starting to get really pissed off now.

How the hell could he not care when it's affecting his life too!

"The planet is dying Cloud!" Barret shouted at him.

"Right now all I care about is finishing this job, before Roboguards arrive." Barret took several deep breaths to compose himself, because he was sure he was going to strangle Cloud if he wasn't going to calm down.

Blaise snorted. He forgot how much of an ass Cloud was at the beginning.

Thankfully the ride was over. The door opened and,

And there was 3 Grunts, 2 1st rays, and 2 Mono drives waiting for us.

Cloud went outside he quickly dispatched the Grunts, Barret shooted down the 1st rays,

And Blaise sliced up the Mono's.

They continued down the stairs. They climbed down all the way to the bottom.

The reactor core bridge was actually a lot bigger,

' _Looks like we'll have room for the fight.'_ Blaise deduced.

Cloud was walking front, he saw a materia on the floor and he knelt down .

' _Hmm a restore materia, this could be useful_ '. He thought.

"Cloud plant the bomb." Barret ordered the former SOLDIER.

He raised an eyebrow."Shouldn't you do it?"

"I gotta watch you don't pull anything!" Cloud shook his head in disbelief, and then he seemed to zone out a little bit.

Barret lost patience and snapped him out of it. "Cloud hurry it up!"

"Yeah all right." he answered a little out of it.

Cloud was about to set the timer when the alarm went off. They heard a lound steps, They looked everywhere, but Blaise was the first one to notice.

"Above!" he shouted. Everyone rolled out of the way as the Scorpion tried to land on them.

The things was freaking huge, Blaise was grateful the platform was a lot bigger, than in the game.

"So…" Blaise started."Does anyone have a plan?"

Cloud decided to speak up. "Attack it with everything you got, and dodge his attacks."

"Huh, pretty straight forward" He commented.

"Less talking, more beating!" Barret ordered.

The scorpio was scanning Barret.

"I think it likes you." Cloud deadpanned while casting Bolt.

"YOU really know how to push my buttons blondie!" Barret shouted, back. He was so angry, that he had this blue glow around him, and Barret was charging a big red circle in his gun-arm.

Blaise was looking at it while dodged another sweep of it's tail.

' _So THIS is how a limit break looks in real life!'_ he was amazed to say the least.

Barret shotted his Big Shot at it. It did a lot of damage.

Blaise went under the Robot slashing its legs. The robot then using his tails knocked him away with the tip of it. It hurted bit since he was smashed against the railing.

Cloud was starting to have enough of this. He was starting feel a mental strain, since he used Bolt for like the seventh time. He jumped up and sliced the Robo in half with a Braver.

Blaise was still down. He felt dizzy getting his head smashed in the railing.

Barret went to him holding out a hand. "You allright?" he asked.

He accepted the hand, "Feeling dizzy." he admitted. Barret grabbed a small bottle of red liquid in it. "Drinks this it'll make you feel better." He drank what he assumed was a potion.

It wasn't the best drink the world, but he felt a lot better after it.

"Feeling better?" Blaise nodded.

Cloud in the meantime setted the bomb to ten minutes.

"It's set." he informed them.

"All right let's get the fuck outta here people!" They then started running like the floor was lava. The climbed up the ladders, but saw Jesse's foot was stuck in a metal beam. Cloud quickly went to get and got it unstuck. They haven't encountered anyone on their way back.

The main reason it was so close with ten minutes was because of the freakin lift!

Blaise could swore there were a faster method to reach the top then this.

They ran outside and they both went where Wedge was waiting. Jesse slipped but Cloud helped her up and they avoided the detonation at the last second.

* * *

Both entrance were blocked by heavy rubble from the enormous explosion. Thankfully nothing collapsed on them so everyone was fine.

They were cleaning their way to the otherside.

They found a large rouble's on each other which were impossible to move.

"We are in luck, I got some explosives left!" Jesse informed them.

And proceeded to wire it up.

"At least this should keep the planet going...even if a little bit." Jesse commented.

Wedge agreed, but Barret stayed silent.

"Okay, everyone get back!" They went to the far side of the hallway, and the bomb detonated. There were flames after the detonation and almost everyone came out unscathed.

Except Blaise and Wedge. The former jacket got on fire and had to toss it away, while the former would be having hard time taking a dump.

"That was my favourite jacket!" whined Blaise. Barret ignored it

"Alright, everyone we meet at the Sector 8 train station," he then looked at Blaise.

"Since I doubt you know the way, you coming with me." Blaise only nodded.

' _Huh, guess I won't meet Aerith then.'_ he mused.

Everyone scattered, Barret and Blaise was about to head out when, Cloud shouted.

"Wait!" Barret turned to him. "If it's about your money, wait till we get back."

They then left Cloud in a hurry.

* * *

The whole sector was in chaos. People were running in panic, and houses were in ruin.

' _How many did have we killed tonight?'_ Blaise wondered about that. Was this course of action even justifiable? How many mothers, fathers, and children will have to mourn for their loss?

Was he even different from the man who killed him and his parents?

He clenched his hand and shook his head.

' _No! I'm not a sadist greedy shitstain!'_ he denied vehemently.

Barret wore a mask of impassivness on their way, but even deep down was feeling guilty of the damage he had caused from the explosion.

When they arrived there the train had more guards than usual. They decided to sneak to the back of the train, where there were not any passengers. When they opened the door, Jesse, Biggs and Wedge were already inside.

"Man, you guys scared the lifestream out of me!" he whisper yelled Wedge.

"You were the one who let his guard down, you don't see them, shitting their pants." Blaise quipped pointing at Biggs and Jesse.

"Yeah, and I'll have problems sitting." he said while pointedly looking at Jesse.

Blaise did too."And I'll have problems with the cold," he intoned. Jesse felt uncomfortable under their gaze, she scratched her head, and apologized. Both of the forgiven her.

Barret was looking out the cart, to see where Cloud is, when the train began to move. He cursed knowing that the ex-SOLDIER won't really be on this ride.

Which meant that Shinra would likely capture him.

* * *

Everybody, with the exception of Blaise wondered where Cloud was. Blaise was sitting on top of a box next to Barret.

"Cloud…"Biggs began."Do you think he was killed?" he asked their leader.

Barret snorted. "No way!"

Jesse was wondering too, after all he did save her life twice. When her foot was stuck, and when she slipped.

They heard faint footsteps from the top of the train.

"Do you think Cloud will stay and fight for AVALANCHE?" Biggs asked. Barret started to get pissed.

"How should I know? I'm not a mind reader!" he slammed the fist next to the wall.

"If you guys weren't a bunch of screw ups!" he didn't really mean it, but at this point he just needed to went both his anger, and his guilt.

"Hey Barret what about our money?" Wedge asked, but he slammed his fist to shut up.

They heard the footsteps but louder. The door opened, and Cloud jumped in, giving a heart-attack for Barret, a trio yelling "Cloud!" and the impassive face of Blaise.

"Sorry I'm a little late." Cloud trying to play it cool.

"Show off." Blaise mumbled. Barret after recovered.

"You goddamn right you're late! Come waltzin in here causing a big scene!"

Cloud showing off he replied. "It's no big scene, just what I always do."

"Fuck, having everyone worried like that, you don't give damn about anyone but yourself!"

Cloud was honestly surprised but couldn't keep the sarcasm out of his voice. "Wait... you were worried about me?"

Barret was taken aback. "WHAA?! That's coming out of your share hot shot!"

He was heading toward the door to go to the passenger wagon."Wake up! We are heading out people."

Blaise turned towards with a smirk Cloud, "9 out of 10, needs more heart attack, and front flip." Cloud smirked at this and Blaise went to in the other wagon.

Barret scared most of the passengers from the wagon into the other one.

Blaise took a seat next to Barret. He noted that the kid looks like he is only half here.

' _I don't get it, a minute he is depressed, the next he is sarcastic and the next he is depressed again. He's got mood swings that's for sure.'_ He then decided to brush it off as his way of dealing with lost. Trying to cover it up with mirth and sarcasm, and then instantly back at it again.

The rest of the gang came in, Cloud went to Jesse, to show that Midgar scale monitor.

"Hey Blaise, wanna see this?" she asked Blaise.

"No, thanks." he yawned, feeling drained after this whole day.

After Jesse laid down the info for Cloud, Barret looked outside.

"You can see the surface now, this city don't have either day nor night.

If that weren't there you could see the sky…" Barret mused out. Blaise couldn't deny that the in it's own way, the lighted out slums and city, were not a bad sight for him.

Cloud leaned closer to the window."A floating city pretty unsettling scenery." he commented.

Barret stood up arms crossed. "Huh, never thought you of all people would say such things, you're just full surprises." He then continued.

"It's because of that fucking pizza, that people underneath are suffering! The air is polluted, and the reactors suck the life out of the planet." he finished his rant.

"Then why doesn't everyone move onto to the Plate?" Cloud asked.

"Dunno. Maybe because they don't have the money for it or cuz they love their land no matter how polluted it gets." Barret answered. Cloud sighed.

"I know...no one lives in the slums because they want to. It's like this train. It can't run anywhere except where its rails take it." Cloud dropped his Strife wisdom upon him.

"Wow, never took you for the philosophic type." Wedge commented, Cloud went into show-off mode and just shrugged. Everyone got ready, they were arriving the Sector 7 station.

* * *

After everyone took off they scanned the area of Shinra troopers, but there weren't anyone.

Barret signaled everyone to go to him. They formed a circle.

"Mission was successful but don't get lazy! The hard part is still to come, and don't y'all be scared of that explosion. Cause the next one is gonna be bigger." Barret finished his speech. Somehow after that little speech with Cloud on the train made his guilt vanish. Blaise just gulped hard.

"Meet at the hideout move out people." He ordered the rest. Barret was in a hurry to go back. Blaise just walked there casually.

To his surprise, Cloud actually went with him.

"You weren't half bad, but you really made some rookie mistakes, like going under that Scorpion." Blaise snorted at this lecture,

"Well, sorry but I didn't have any materia unlike you." Cloud was surprised. "Even if I had, I never used them before."

"Why don't you buy one?" came the obvious question.

"I ain't got any gil what's so ever."Blaise responded.

"Well...I'm inclined to tell you how to use materia if you find some. Free of charge for once." Cloud offered. For Blaise this was a no-brainer and decided to accept it.

"All right, let's start at the beginning, when you put a materia into your weapon or armlet, you just start to feel like you can cast them. It does make you tired though so use it with caution. Also it increases your efficiency with magic, but decreases your strength…." and so Cloud decided to explain how to use the materia's to Blaise.

They arrived to see Barret, scaring the people off Tifa's bar, while Tifa bowed and apologised to her customers for the inconvenience. Barret stood guard at the entrance, but he let them inside.

Biggs,Wedge and Jesse were eating a crap ton of food on the table,

Marlene running from behind the table thinking his father came home, she shouted "Papaa!" excitedly, but she only saw Blaise and Cloud entering. She ran to the back of the room. She was extremely shy. Tifa knelt down to Marlene. "Marlene aren't you going to anything to them?" Tifa tried to make marlene less shy, but she was unsuccessful so far.

She then walked to us.

"Welcome home you two, Looks like everything went well." After a moment she decided to ask. "Did you fight with Barret?"

"Yeah." was the simple answer.

"More like pushing his button every given opportunity." Blaise chimed in.

"Should have known" she sighed. "He's always pushing people around, and you've always been in fights ever since you were little."

Blaise then noticed that Cloud had a flower in his hands, ' _Where the fuck was he keeping it?'_ he thought. Then again he wasn't really aware of everything for the moment.

"A flower? You don't really see them in the slums. Who is it for?"

Cloud just simply gave it to Tifa.

"Maybe I should decorate this place with flowers." She joked. Blaise decided to grab a plate and started eating, he was hungry.

"Hmm, So good." Blaise praised it as the food melted in his mouth, Tifa smiled at the compliment. But she just noticed that he didn't have his jacket on.

"Where is your jacket?"

"Burned to a crisp." He said coldly, while glaring at Jesse. She decided to eat faster to escape the glare. Wedge decided to throw his two gil in.

"And my butt is burned too!" he complained.

"You guys will never let me live it down will you?" she asked rhetorically.

"Nope!" they both deadpanned in unison and laughed.

They were able to finish their meal just in time, to see Barret storm in.

Marleene jumped into her father's arms. "Welcome home Papa!"

"You all right Barret" Tifa asked since his buttons were pushed today.

"Great!" he replied, happy to see his daughter, and spend some time with her.

He pressed the button on the machine, and said "Get in here ya fools!"

"In a bit!" Blaise replied, he turned to Tifa.

"Tifa can you give me some drink?" he asked, but then exclaimed "OH SHIT, I still ain't got any money on me!" Tifa just giggled. "You're member, so it's on the house." she reassured him. He sighed with relief.

She poured some booze for him, and she noticed the sad look in his eyes.

"Something wrong?" she asked Blaise.

"Sorry, it's just I'm a person who has mood swings you know." he explained to her.

"Sorry...It's my fault you got dragged into-" Tifa's apology was halted mid sentence when Blaise put his hand up.

"Don't blame yourself. Wrong place, wrong time, and I was the one who accepted the offer."

He reassured her, and took a sip.

"I didn't had any suicidal thoughts today." he half joked. Tifa however wasn't amused by this.

"Please don't joke about this." Tifa asked sternly. Cloud however was interested.

"Why would you be having suicidal thoughts?" he asked. Blaise sighed.

"If you want to know Barret may have a vague idea, so don't nag me about it." he told him resolutely.

Cloud sighed. "You're right not my business." and then he went down to the base of operation,

Blaise finished his drink, "Thank you for the drink!" and then went down where the other members were.

* * *

Blaise went down to see Jesse at the table and the news were on about the blast.

She was proud of her, work however he had a frown on his face.

There were at least 200 confirmed deaths.

He clenched his fists. He forgot a crucial part of things. That AVALANCHE was/is a terrorist group. And that means there was always going to be civilian casualties.

"Can you make the bomb less destructive?" He asked Jesse masking his anger with interest .

"Already on it, don't want you guys teasing me with this stuff forever." she quipped.

He would have smiled if he wouldn't have seen the death count on that.

"Yo Cloud I wanted to ask you something." Barret started, while punching the bag.

"Was there anyone from SOLDIER fighting us today?"

Cloud shook his head."None I'm positive."

"You sound pretty sure."

Cloud just chuckled "If there was anyone from SOLDIER you wouldn't be standing here now." Barret started to get pissed off again.

"Don't go thinkin you so bad just cuz you was in SOLDIER!" Biggs was holding Barret down, but Barret tossed Biggs away, and started to calm down.

"Yeah you're strong. Probably all them guys in SOLDIER are." Barret admitted.

"But don't forget that your skinny ass's workin for AVALANCHE now! Don't get any ideas about hanging on to Shinra."

Cloud scoffed."Staying with Shinra?" He was offended a little. "You asked a question and I answered it." he then went few inches away from Barret face.

"I'm going upstairs, I want to talk about my money." he turned to go up but Tifa came down after hearing the commotion below.

"Cloud, Wait!" She asked her childhood friend.

"Tifa let him go. It seems like he still misses Shinra."

"Shut up!" Cloud snapped, pissed off that Barret was so quick to jump at the gun, and assuming things."I don't care about neither Shinra, nor SOLDIER ." he then started walking off but turned around ."But don't get me wrong, I don't care about AVALANCHE or the planet for that matter!" with that he went up.

"Did you really had to start a fight Barret?" Tifa asked.

"He was pushing my buttons all day." Barret answered.

"To be honest you were the one who started poking at him, unfairly at that." Blaise stated, and continued. "He acts like a jerk at times, but he didn't started assuming stuff about anyone in this room ,and you did Barret." He pointed it out, He only give a long suffering sigh. Tifa went up to quickly catch Cloud while Barret, went through his stuff, and picked up a small and a large bag.

"Here you go kid, your share." he tossed Blaise 200 gil.

"You sure? I mean I'm grateful but-" Barret interrupted him.

"Look you don't have any money on you so you accept that money it's yours." Barret said with finality.

"Thanks Barret." Blaise yawned. "Think I'm gonna turn in now, night guys." with that he turned to sleep on the same place where he slept last time.

* * *

Barret climbed upstairs to see Tifa and Cloud talking.

"So come on! You gotta keep your promise!" Tifa told Cloud.

"Wait-sec big time SOLDIER." Barret told Cloud sarcastically, and pulled a bag of gil out of his pockets." A promise is a promise. Here." and tossed him a bag of gils. It was a total of 1500.

"This is my pay? Don't make me laugh." Cloud responded offended by how little gil he got.

"Then you'll?" Tifa asked afraid but Cloud continued in a cocky attitude.

"You got the next mission lined up? I'll do it for 3000." Barret eyes bulged out at the price.

"What!?" he exclaimed. Tifa then proceeded it calm Barret down.

"It's okay it's okay." Tifa tried to reassure him. She then started to whisper.

"We really hurting for help right?" she asked him.

"That's money for Marlene schooling.) He whispered to her back.

Then he was pacing around and told Cloud. "2000!" he only nodded at this.

"Thanks Cloud!" She thanked him.

Cloud turned towards Barret."What's with that kid anyway?" Barret turned towards him raising an eyebrow. Tifa decide to elaborate.

"He joked about not having any suicidal thoughts today, which I didn't found funny. Cloud asked why would he think such things and told us that you may have an idea about it." Tifa finished her explanation.

Barret sighed, Blaise must have spent all his energy just talk to him about that and it was probably enough for him to tell that much for one day.

"I was trying to give him speech, to try to rise above his depression, and don't have any suicide attempts, while we were heading to the reactor." His explanation was stopped by a snarky comment from Cloud.

"So you really care huh." Barret and even Tifa shot him a glare and he just scratched his hair.

"But what he said is what left me speechless. He told me what's to live for when everything you ever cherished just fades away in the most brutal way." Tifa gasped, and even Cloud shuddered at it. "He told me what he went through he doesn't even wish it upon the guy that caused it to him." Tifa didn't even want to think what he went through, but this gave an idea what kind of loss he took.

"But the look in his eyes Tifa. That look was of a man who doesn't have anyone to care for." he finished Barret with some sympathy in his voice.

"What could he have gone through?" Cloud asked the obvious question.

"We can't force answer out of him." Tifa said resolutely. "The wound must also be fresh, but all we can do is to not pry too much, and let him speak about it if he wants to." the two of them nodded and went to sleep.

* * *

 **AN: Yeah, I'm not the best with writing fights. I like to imagine them more than type every single stuff about it, I for one rarely read fights in fanfiction and like to imagine them, but I will try to expand them.**

 **Reviews:**

 **To Guest: - Yeah if I make a machinabridged version I will definetly make that joke!**

 **See ya later!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: Fall**

* * *

Blaise was walking down a Dark corridor, he didn't know how long was he walking. He was hearing Noises, but he couldn't quite describe it. It was like a whisper, telling him to follow the path.

It was paved with red color.

He reached the door, he was about to open it but everything became clearer. Like a switch everything became visible. The corridor he walked in turned out was caged. On the other side of the bar there were people, pointing at him.

"You could have saved us." all of them whispered together.

"You could have spared the mourning of my parents." accused a little boy in a low voice.

"You could have spared the sobs of my children." accused a woman.

Blaise wanted to shake his head, but he knew, he knew he couldn't deny it, because he didn't even attempted to stop the whole bombing mission.

And now he noticed that it wasn't paved with simply red.

It was paved with **blood.**

He wanted to runaway, and the only thing he could was through the door.

However when he went through it he saw **him!**

The man responsible the death of everyone he **knew!**

The scenery was the warehouse where they were tortured. Around the man were the corpse of his father, mother, and brother.

The only corpse which wasn't there was his sister's.

The man had a bloodied lead pipe in his hand and a sadistic grin on his face.

"You came for a second round of me breaking-every-bone-in-your-lower-half? You're such a good sport kid!" he said mockingly.

Blaise was horrified, life didn't stopped toying with him. His legs gave away, from the shock.

"The...n is coming kid, and you'll jo-" the man couldn't finish it.

* * *

Blaise woke up in cold sweat, and a gasp. He was clutching his head. He franticly looked around to see where he was. There was Cloud and the trio of Biggs, Wedge, and Jessie sleeping.

' _It was dream...A nightmare.'_ he started to calm down. He looked at his watch. It was 5:46.

He lost his need of sleep after a dream like this. He would have decided to use the pipes, but after this. He used the machine, everyone else be damned if they wake up.

When he went up, he saw nobody was up. He decided to take a seat at a table, and wait, for the others.

Waking up before everyone wasn't unusual for Blaise. Even when he was in diapers, he often woken up an hour or two before others. Even then he often just waited for others to wake up.

Blaise's thoughts were the one thing the nightmare said. ' _-n is coming and I'll join?'_ he thought with confusion, but decided to drop it. After all it was only a nightmare.

He head to shake his head several times. He got what, 4-5 hours of sleep? He was thinking about going for a walk, when Tifa came down, surprised that he was awake.

"Good morning!" she greeted Blaise.

"Morning." he murmured back. Tifa noticed his eyes are baggy.

"Why are you awake?" She asked concernedly. "Don't, tell me...Wedge is snoring like a pig ain't he?"

Blaise gives a slight chuckle, but then he says in a sad voice."I wish that would be the reason for my loss in sleep."

After a moment of silence she asks. "...bad dream?"

Blaise stiffens, but gives a slow nod. He is having a mental debate if he should tell her or not, but Tifa continues.

"You don't have to tell me, if you don't want to." She reassures him.

"...I was…" Blaise starts to explain, but it comes out slowly. He was still mustering the courage to talk about it. "Walking... in a hallway." Tifa started to listen to him intently. "It was dark… but the floor...was painted with...red. After while...I reached a door. The lights turned on...And then" he now looked directly into her eyes. Tifa could see his eyes were watery. "Women...Men...Children...Pointing fingers at me...Each of them saying, 'I could have saved them'." He lost his voice when he said it. He wiped his tears away. ' _Come on Blaise...Get your composure back, it was just a stupid dream.'_

Tifa put her hands on his shoulder as a means to comfort him. _'He really taking this hard. But what this about he could have saved them? No one knew the blast would be this big… It's most likely just his conscience.'_ she thought sadly. ' _Jesse I really hope that today's run will be have a lot-less casualties.'_

Blaise thoughts were went to a different place. He remembered how much others had to comfort him.

He noticed how much of a pity party he's been throwing.

"...Sorry." He apologised. Tifa raised an eyebrow at this."Damn, I must be pathetic...Always pitying myself when others must have it as bad as me." he mumbled it out.

"Hey!" Tifa exclaimed sternly."Just because others have it bad doesn't mean you have to sell your misery short!" She then continues it in a softer tone. "It'll be better with time."

Blaise looked at her, bit surprised at the outburst, but then again she was right.

"Thanks Tifa." She just smiled in response. "So...Do you have coffee?" he asks.

The rest of the morning went more lightheartedly. Biggs, and Jessie were woken up by Wedge's snoring, but interestingly enough, Cloud slept like whose head was bashed.

Then Marlene and Barret were the next in line to wake up, they had breakfast and was waiting for Cloud to wake up.

* * *

In the early hours, Hojo was pacing in his lab. He was frustrated with two things.

The first is that the Ancient was still missing for his experiment with the creature he dubbed 'Red XIII'

And the second was who could have made the planet to freak out. Yes. Who indeed

With the energy reading the way it spiked up couldn't have been because of the Lifestream made into Mako. There was also no damage to the planet itself. So the only logical conclusion, was it was a being who came up there. The energy reading from the spot the anomaly happened, had fresh lifesign readings.

' _I can't wait to have a 'chat' whoever made the planet have a 'Heart attack' '_ he was madly giggling in his head.

* * *

Blaise went out to purchase a Bolt materia for himself, however he forgot how costly it was for him at the moment. It cost 600 and he only had 200. ' _No magic for me for now.'_ he mentally sighed.

While he went to a trip Tifa informed the rest of them about his nightmares. Jesse felt extremely guilty and she already did the necessary modifications so it would only blow up the reactor itself. Cloud nodded in understatement, same with everyone else. Although Barret. ' _I shouldn't have thrown him into the this so quickly.'_ he thought.

"Back." Blaise came back. "Can't buy a freakin materia, they are fucking expensive!" Blaise cursed, He saw Cloud was awake up. "So, are we going?" he asked the obvious question. He glanced at his watch, and the time was 11:30 am.

"Marlene you watch the store while we're gone!" Tifa said to her. Marlene gave a cute firm nod.

"Okay! Good luck!" With that the team

While they were heading to the train station, Blaise couldn't help but ask.

"Shouldn't someone be with Marlene? What if someone tries to harm her?"

"No need to worry," Tifa answered. "Nobody would dare. For one people around here knows who is that little girl, and most people actually like her! The other is Barret himself of course. If anyone so much as thinks of kidnapping her, well…"

"That does make sense." replied Blaise, who felt stupid for asking the reason why they would leave Marlene home alone.

* * *

After they got unto the train, Barret as usual started barking orders.

"Yo!This ain't no private car! Split up!" Jesse, Biggs and Wedge complied and went to the next car.

A man in red suit mumbled something. "...hoodlums again. God don't I have just all the luck…" and he sat down.

Barret ran past him, to check if there are any security on the next wagon, but caught something about 'hoodlums'

"You say sumthin'?" he asked in a calmly but when he got no response he asked again threateningly.

"I said "you say sumthin"?" and went in front of him.

"Yo, Look at that. It got empty all of a sudden." The gun-armed man exclaimed. "What's going on?"

The man started sweating, and out of fair exclaimed a "Damnit!" and fearfully started to answer the question.

It's...e-empty because... o-of guys like you..." Barret slammed his fist next to him to 'encourage' him to stop the stuttering."You've seen the news right? AVALANCHE says there'll be more bombings. Only devoted employees like me would to Midgar in a day like today."

Barret at this pointed his gun-arm at him "You working for Shinra?" The man in suit started to hold his head and looked down in fear. "I won't give into your demands!" But luckily Tifa and Blaise stepped up.

"Barret!" Tifa yelled at him.

"This is absolutely unnecessary!" Blaise told him. Barret reluctantly lowered his arm.

"Fuck! You lucky shit!" and with that left the terrified man alone.

"So what are we gonna do now?" Cloud calmly asked.

"The hell are you so calm about? You busting up my rhythm!" Barret asked, still worked up about the man.

"What rhythm?" Blaise asked then snarkily responded."You are always worked, up there's no rhythm!" He turned to me.

"Is it your turn to piss me off?" Barret asked.

"Nah, I'm feeling merciful, Cloud's is already overkill for your nerves." Blaise chuckled, While Cloud smirked.

They finished to connect the train, and they started heading towards the reactor.

Cloud went serious mode. "So,what's our next target?" Barret decided it was the time to mock him.

"Hah! Listen to Mr. Serious-about-his-work!" after a moment he decided to drop the attitude.

"Awright..I'll tell ya!"

"Jessie might have told you, but there's a security check point at the top plate. It's an ID scan system checkin' all trains."

"Which Shinra is very proud of." Tifa snorted.

Barret decided to continue. "We can't use our fake ID's anymore…"

The voice announcer told the time and that they are going to arrive Sector 4 station soon.

"That means we got three more minutes to the ID check point." Tifa concluded.

"Alright in three minutes we are jumping on train, got it?" Barret asked and Blaise nodded.

Tifa went with Cloud to check the Railway monitor, but the alarm went off

"Strange, the Checkpoint should be farther away." she said in thought.

" _Type A security alert! Unidentified passengers confirmed… A search for all cars will be conducted!"_

Jessie came into their car in a hurry.

"What's happening?" Tifa asked her.

"I'll explain later, hurry get to the next car!" She exclaimed hastily.

"Fuck...Someone blew it!" Barret cursed

They hurried through two cars before the alarm came to a stop.

" _Car #2:Locked down. Upgrading to warning level 3."_

"We clear!?" Barret asked Jessie she shook her head.

"Not yet. They are starting another search. If we're caught we're done for!" But then she reassured us with good news. "Don't worry, If we move up the train, car by car, we should get past it!"

The alarm came in again, and they started to run for another three cars. Cloud was bit behind, because someone stole some gil off of him.

"We made it! This way!" Barret showed the way, to the door, which he opened. The train went at least 50 km/h speed!

"We are gonna dive outta here!" Barret ordered. Blaise however was afraid he would sustain damages from jumping out of a moving train!

"Ain't I gonna be full of bruises when I jump-" Barret interrupted Blaise.

"Stop being a chicken, we got potion so no need to pee yourself!"

"...Scary..huh." Tifa murmured to Cloud.

"Too late to say that now." Cloud sighed. "Why'd you come along anyway?"

"Because…" Tifa couldn't really tell him that something didn't add up with him.

Luckily Barret was there to save the day!

"Hey you two! There ain't no time for that!" he stepped out of the way, and Tifa prepared to jump.

"I've made up my mind! I'm gonna jump" she said resolutely.

Tifa jumped first.

Cloud turned to Barret eyebrows raised. "You don't care if I jump first?" Barret shook his head.

"A leader always stays till the end, don't worry about me, just go!"

Cloud was about to jump when Barret came up for an encouraging speech.

"Yo, don't go getting your spikey-ass hurt! It's only the beginning of the mission!" Cloud shrugged. And jumped out.

Blaise was the next in line he took a deep breath, and jumped out shouting. "FUCK MY LIFE!" afte he jumped out he was rolling the ground, from jumping out. Luckily he was alright, and Tifa and Cloud was heading towards him.

* * *

Barret wasn't too far away, so they managed to quickly regroup.

"Good so far everything going as planned." Barret declared proudly.

"Better not let your guard down till we get to Sector 5 reactor. Biggs, Wedge and Jessie got everything ready for us so move it!" Barret ordered. And they started heading forward.

After a short walk, they reached the security sensors

"Those are Shinra security sensors, we can't go through here." Cloud informed the group.

Cloud also noticed duct there and decided to examine it.

"That's one tiny hole you telling me to squeeze into that to get under the plate? No way!" Barret said disbelievingly.

Tifa also examined it. "There seems to be nothing that'll get us stuck in this air duct."

"Yeah but we can't come back here if we take this route." Cloud told them. Blaise decided to pitch in.

"It's not like there's any other way from here. Let's take this route"

"Kid's right let's use it." Barret agreed with Blaise.

Blaise went down last, but he already heard Cloud using his sword There were two grashtrike which he disposed of.. They went through the air duct, down the ladders, and through another duct, where they found Jessie standing watch.

She noticed them and had an ashamed expression on her face.

"Sorry guys it was my fault...I made Cloud's ID special, I put my heart and soul into it, but I failed."

Barret was about to tell her something, but Blaise beat him to the punch. He went to her and put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Nothing's ever going smooth, fuck ups will happen so you have nothing to be ashamed about." Blaise comforted her. She gave a small smile at the gesture.

"Thanks, but I want to keep this to a minimum."

"You better!" Barret admonished her.

They continued down the lower plate. They met Wedge by a latter. He told them the Reactor is up that way. They found Biggs by the end of the lower plate, where you could see into the reactor staircase.

"Hey guys, we are going back to the hideout, we are counting on you!" Biggs told them, and started to get the others.

They entered the reactor itself! They slid down the pipe which was quite fun for Blaise. There was one thing it was possible to sum up the atmosphere of the reactor.

Silent

No workers, nor security, which was funny considering the game had tons of enemies here.

"I don't like it." said Barret as they were going down the ladders.

"You think it's a trap?" Tifa asked, but Barret didn't say anything.

As we were reaching the core, Cloud had another episode.

"Damnit, pull it together man!" Barret yelled at him.

"...Tifa?" Cloud murmured

"Hmm?" Tifa hummed in question.

"No.. It's nothing, forget about it." Cloud dismissed it. He then proceeded to set the bomb.

"All right Let's get outta here!" Barret exclaimed, and then they made haste to the elevator.

They entered the elevator and went top, and there were three switches.

"Jessie told me we need to press these all at once." They nodded and Barret, Cloud and Tifa lined it up to press the buttons, while Blaise decided to keep an eye out.

"On three!" Barret instructed.

"One, two...Three!" they pressed it at the same time and the big door opened. And they started running.

There was a fork in the railings, but Barret motioned "This way!" he was about to run to it when a Shinra soldiers came out.

"Shinra soldiers!?" Barret exclaimed.

"SHIT! The hell is going on?" Barret didn't understood. They did everything correctly.

"No wonder, the reactor it was empty... It was a.." Blaise concluded but Cloud decided to finish it for him.

"Trap."

They heard loud footsteps from the reactor.

It was President Shinra in the flesh.

"Presi...President Shinra?" Barret exclaimed in disbelief.

"Why is he here?" Tifa asked the obvious.

"Hmm… So you must be that...what was it?" he asked in a unconcerned voice.

"AVALANCHE! And don't you forget it! And you're the President huh?" Barret asked rhetorically

Cloud went past Blaise. "Long time no see, President."

"Long time no see?" The president was confused, but then it clicked."Oh...you. You're the one who quit SOLDIER and joined AVALANCHE." He concluded. "I knew you'd been exposed to Mako, from the look in your eyes…Tell me traitor...What was your name?"

"Cloud Strife."

"Forgive me for asking." he apologised in a mocking tone."But I can't be expected to remember each person's name. Unless you become another Sephiroth of course." it seemed he was in thought for a second. " He was brilliant, perhaps too brilliant."

"Sephiroth…?" Cloud had a faraway look in his eyes for a second.

Barret started to have enough of being ignored and pushed past Cloud and Blaise.

"Don't give a damn about any of that! This place is going up with a big BANG soon!

Serves y'all right!"

President Shinra was unphased by this outburst.

"And such a good waste of fireworks, just to get rid of vermin like you."

Barret was boiling by this point. "VERMIN!? Thats all you can say VERMIN!"

"Y'all Shinra are the VERMIN, killing the planet! And that makes you King VERMIN so shut up jackass!"

"You are beginning to bore me… I'm a very busy man so if you'll excuse me, I have a dinner to attend to." His dismissive attitude just pissed Barret more off.

"Dinner?! Don't give me that! I haven't even started with you yet!"

"But, I've made arrangements for a playmate for you all." With that the President snapped his fingers. A loud buzzing noise could be heard.

"What is that?"Barret asked, as everyone narrowly dodged as Air-Buster came to the scene, giving the Shinra soldiers the que to high-tail it.

"Meet Airbuster, a techno soldier our weapon development department created him." He introduced to us.

"I'm sure the data it'll extract from your dead bodies will be of great use to us for future experiments."

...Techno-Soldier?" Cloud murmured again in question.

"Now if you'll excuse me." With that a Heli came to pick up the president. Cloud tried to hold him up fruitlessly.

"...Shitbag." Blaise murmured

"Yo guys, we gotta do something about him!" Barret caught their attention, as Airbuster was pushing both Tifa and Barret back.

"Cloud, Blaise help!" Tifa shouted for them."THIS is from SOLDIER?" Tifa asked fearfully.

"No way it's just a machine!" Cloud exclaimed.

The line up was Cloud and Blaise from behind, and Tifa , Barret in front.

Inwardly Blaise cursed. ' _Am I going to fall down with Cloud?'_ he snapped out of his thoughts when Cloud Bolted the robot. He shooted back with his gun from his back, which they were able to dodge.

Barret was shooting at him, and Tifa started casting Ice on him. ' _Cloud must have gave her the Ice materia when I wasn't looking.'_ thought Blaise. He dodged a few gunshots, and was able to make two successful hits on his back, and he was turning towards them.

"Blaise, when I give you the signal give it everything you got!" Cloud ordered Blaise.

"Got it!"

Cloud and Blaise had to dodge, because the machine wanted to ram them, and sprayed bullets like crazy! Blaise managed to deflect a few of them, but Cloud had to step in, and deflect most of it for him. On the otherside Tifa did a beat rush, and Barret a Big shot.

' _This fucker can take a lot!'_ Barret thought. Buster turned around again.

"Now!" Cloud barked. Blaise went fully at him and he noticed something. His weapon had a blue glow! ' _Is this my Limit break?'_ he thought. He jumped up and did an overhead slash to the thing, followed by Cloud's braver which made the robot explode.

Blaise was just out of the reach of the explosion.

"It's gonna blow! We have to go!" Barret exclaimed.

"It's too far away for me to jump, and Cloud is a hanging on a thread!" Blaise yelled to Barret. He tried to reach for Cloud but it was too far for him to reach.

"Please don't die, I want to tell you so much Cloud!" Tifa begged.

"You gonna be all right?" Barret asked one stupid question.

"Worry about yourselves!" Blaise told them.

"Take care of Tifa." Cloud told Barret.

"Allright. Sorry about this." Barret apologised to them.

"Don't talk like this is the end!" Cloud snapped.

And the Bomb exploded. The ground shook from it, which made Cloud hand slip, and Blaise lost his balance, and fell over the railing. He hit something on his way down, and fell unconscious.

* * *

Blaise was walking down a corridor, he didn't knew what he was doing there. Everything was pitch black. Although he noticed something while walking to it. With every step, the floor behind him crumbled, making it impossible for him to turn back.

He was walking. He heard a voice, beckoning him to stay on the path. But although the voice was rather assuring, it felt sinister. It made his skin crawl. ' _It wants to use me doesn't it?'_ he asked himself cynically.

However he stopped. Because a feeling something that he really wanted to feel in this darkness was one thing.

Warmth.

That's what he felt. He started feeling like his back was against something.

Something soft. And then there was light behind from him, which was bright as the sun, and green as grass.

And then…

* * *

"Helloo!" A female voice called out. It was sweet, innocent.

Blaise groaned, he felt his back sore, but where he laid it was so comfortable that he could lay there for days without any problem.

He slowly started to pry his eyes open. And she saw her.

Aerith.

Although Blaise was amazed how otherworldly she looked. Not a cetra, not human.

"An angel?" Blaise asked in a low voice, and then he blushed from embarrassment. Not only sounded cheesy but also dumb.

Aerith blushed but she hid it and giggled. "I'm afraid not." she giggled "It's funny the last guy who fell down said something similiar."

Cloud was also starting to wake up.

"Flowers?" Blaise asked. Then carefully got up and jumped away from them."We didn't meant to crash land here." Blaise apologised and rubbed the back of his neck.

"That's alright." She assured us. "I've seen you before. You were the guy who saved that kid a few days ago." Blaise was shocked. "I can tell you didn't took pleasure in it, still it was a very nice thing of you to do."

"You really think so?" he asked. She nodded. Cloud got up. "Sorry for landing here." he apologised but then realised who she was.

"I remember you, you were the girl I brought the flower from yesterday." She smiled at his observation. "By the way where are we?" he asked.

"You are in the sector 5 slum church." she answered.

"Cloud I think you should get off the Flower bed." Blaise told Cloud, who now realised on what he was stepping. He apologised again. "These flowers are resilient if they could survive both our weights." Cloud stated while a bit surprised.

"The flowers here are resilient, and they don't grow in Midgar but for some reason they do here. I love it here!" Aerith answered."What's your name?"

"Blaise."

"Cloud. And yours?"

"Aerith."She replied. "Say do you have any materia?"

"Yeah, I have some." Cloud answered. "Nowadays you can find materia anywhere."

"But mine is special, It's good for absolutely nothing." she laughed.

"...good for nothing?" Cloud was perplexed he never heard of a materia that doesn't do anything.

"Maybe you just don't know how to use it." then pointed his thumb at Blaise."He never used a materia before and I explained it to him yesterday."

"Hey! Not my fault you ain't gave me a materia even for the mission!" Blaise sulked.

"I do know how to use materia it just doesn't do anything." She explained.

' _It does something, but you won't be around to see it.'_ Blaise thought sadly.

"You guys know the way?" Aerith asked. "I could escort you guys out of here!" Aerith offered.

"We would appreciate it." Cloud accepted.

"Wait here, I'll just check the flowers." with that she went to check, while Blaise picked up any debris that fell on it. "Thank you." Aerith thanked Blaise.

"By the way what are you guys doing?"

"A little bit of everything." Cloud answered in a boastful manner.

"Oh, a jack of all trades huh."

"Yeah I do whatever's needed."

Aerith laughed. "What's so funny? Cloud asked a bit irritated of getting laughed at.

"Sorry I just…" Her apology was halted when she noticed a Turk in the doorway. All three of them turned towards him.

"Sorry bad timing on my part." Aeris apologised.

"I recognize that uniform." Blaise murmured

"Say Cloud have you ever been a bodyguard?" Aerith asked in a whisper."You DO everything, right?"

"...Yeah I can do."

"Can you take me home?"

"Ok... but it'll cost you."

Blaise decided to chime in. "I'll do it for free of charge."

Aerith smiled at Blaise's direction, then turned back to Cloud.

"How about one date?" she asked. Cloud's expression basicly said 'deal.'

Cloud turned towards the Turk.

"I don't know who you are but…" he seemed to think for a second. Blaise decided to help him out.

"Cloud he's a Turk." Blaise deadpanned. "Not many other people like wearing blue suits."

The Turk was surprised that he instantly knew that he was a Turk.

"You're quick to jump to conclusions but, I'm impressed."

A few Shinra soldiers came in. "Reno want to take them out?" asked one of the MP.

"I haven't decided yet." he replied nonchalantly.

"Don't fight here!" Aerith spoke up. "You'll ruin the flowers!"

Aerith ran back, and both Blaise and Cloud followed her.

Reno accidently stepped on the flowers."Those were Mako eyes. And that boy recognised me instantly. I'll have to report this to Tseng." Reno said in thought. He turned around.

"All right, back to work, back to work." he then was about to follow them. "Oh and don't step on the flowers!" Everyone laughed at him. " You just stepped on them. You ruined them all.

* * *

The way to the top was fairly simple jumping around. When they got to the top, MP's were hot in their trails.

Both Blaise and Cloud jumped and to the otherside. Aerith was about to jump when she lost her balance due to the bullets, and she fell down.

"Aerith!" Both of them shouted in worry.

To Blaises surprise instead of going for the barrels, Cloud jumped down, to personally guard Aerith.

' _This makes so much more sense than it was in the game. Thank you!'_ Since they weren't in need of help, Blaise decided to manheld the barrels. While Cloud was dispatching of them with ease, Blaise was able to join the fun when he pushed the 'last barrel' unto the MP. They both looked at him.

"What? You're bodyguard is already overkill." Cloud smirked at this comment.

"Aerith this way!" Cloud showed the way, through the structure, and they all jumped through the crack of the roof.

* * *

Aerith was panting. "They are looking for me again…"

Cloud blinked at this."You mean this isn't the first time they've been after you?"

Aerith bit her lower lip. "No…" she answered truthfully.

"They're the Turks." Cloud told her. Aerith hummed questioningly.

"The Turks are part of Shinra." Cloud decided to elaborate."They scout for possible candidates for SOLDIER."

"This violently?" Aerith asked. "I thought they were kidnapping someone."

"They also involved in a lot of dirty stuff." Cloud answered, and turned towards Blaise.

"How were you able to recognize them so fast?" Cloud asked curiously. "Have you had a run in with them?"

"No…" Blaise answered truthfully."I...just recognized him because of his uniforms." Cloud raised an eyebrow.

"Who else would be in the slums in fancy suits?" Blaise rhetorically asked. Cloud seemed to accept this, but on the inside he was in thought. ' _How could he recognize one if he never had a run in with them?'_ but he decided to not pry. It also may be that he heard of their uniforms from someone, however unlikely.

"Why are they after you anyway?" Cloud asked Aerith. "There must a reason right?"

"I don't really know." Aerith lied. "Maybe they think I got what it takes to be in SOLDIER!" she said jokingly.

"Maybe you do." Cloud shrugged. "You wanna join?"

"I don't know, but I don't want get caught by **those** people!"

And with that the Trio decided to make their way through, the mountains of junk.

Blaise was barely able to keep up with Cloud, but he still fared better than Aerith.

"Hey! Wait up you two!" she yelled. She caught up to them, and she was practically out of breath.

"Stop..Don't leave me." she panted. Cloud chuckled at this.

"Funny...I thought you were cut out to be in SOLDIER."

Blaise chimed in. "I'll go back and tell them they got the wrong address."

"You two are terrible." she pouted, but all three of them laughed.

"Cloud…" Aerith started after the laughter died down. "Were you in SOLDIER?"

Cloud was silent for a second before he answered. "I used to be. How did you guess?"

"Your eyes. They have a strange glow." She answered.

"That's the sign of being infused by Mako. A mark of SOLDIER." Cloud elaborated and asked.

"But how did you know about that?"

"Oh...nothing." Aerith decided to deflect.

"Nothing…?" Cloud asked in confusion.

"Right, nothing!" Aerith told him surely. "Come on let's go "bodyguards"! Aerith teased them.

"But I didn't signed up for it!" Blaise whined.

"What else would you call yourself after helping me?" Aerith asked, but there was something about the way she asked. A small sign of caution. But Blaise didn't noticed it.

"A decent human being, who helps the owner of the flowers, after sleeping on the flowerbeds?"

He asked back jokingly.

"Good enough." She giggled back.

Soon they reached the end of the junk pile, and jumped down the road.

"My house is nearby. Let's go before he comes." Aerith told them. On their way to the slum part, they took a turn to where Aerith's house was but someone shouted with evident hatred and venom in his voice.

"YOU!" Blaise turned around to see the guy name Fli and a few other thugs.

"I told you I'll get you, you shitface but I never thought it would be this soon."

Cloud turned back. "You know him?" He asked. Blaise nodded stiffly.

"Yeah." he in a low voice. "I accidently killed his boss, while they were harassing a kid."

"'Accidently'" Fli scoffed. "You stabbed him your sword!?"

"I wouldn't have stabbed him if he would have tried to jump at me!" Blaise retorted. Fli whistled, and a few extra thugs came out of hiding.

There were 10 overall.

"You're outnumbered." He declared smugly.

"No...he isn't." Cloud stepped up.

"And you are?" Fli asked.

"I'm not answering to deadmen." Cloud declared coldly.

"Cloud this is my problem not yours." Blaise told him sternly.

"I'm on guard duty at the moment for Aerith. I can't have you drag the time." Cloud said nonchalantly.

"Showoff.." Muttered Blaise.

After a moment of silence Blaise gave up. "...Thanks." Cloud just smirked back.

"Let's get them boys!" and they started to run at them.

Except.

Cloud finished them off with one swing of his sword.

He pulled his blade over his shoulder and smashed it into the ground.

It took a second for Blaise to realise that he used Blade Beam.

Let's just say, that Fli. was dead the moment it hit him, a few of them crashed into piles of junk, and the rest fled like bitches.

"That was...Quick." Blaise muttered out in a dumbfound expression on his face.

Even Aerith was amazed. The rest of the to her house went quietly.

* * *

Aerith's home was. Beautiful.

Like finding Gold in a Coalmine. ' _Where did that metaphor came from?"_ Blaise thought.

Out of the corner of his eyes he sees a cover materia. Aerith was about to open the door, when Blaise told her to "Wait." and then rushed into the back of her garden to pick up the materia.

"Saw it out of the corner of my eye." He was about to handed it over to her, since this is her territory.

"No, you can have it." She said smiling to him. "You were the one who found it."

"You sure?" Blaise asked uncertainly.

"Yes I'm sure." and then she opened the door to her house.

"I'm home mom!" Aerith said, and Elmyra came out of the kitchen.

"This is Cloud and Blaise, they are my bodyguards." Aerith introduced them to her mother.

Blaise sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck at him calling a "bodyguard". ' _I can barely even protect myself!'_ he thought.

Elmyra was confused. "Bodyguard…?" then her expression turned of concern. "You mean you were followed again!?"

"Are you all right!? They didn't hurt you did they!?"

"I'm all right, I had them with me!" She assured her mother.

The mother of Aerith sighed in relief. "Thank you both!" with that she went upstairs.

"So...What are you two going to do now?" Aerith asked them.

"Is sector 7 far from here? We want to go to Tifa's bar." Cloud asked Aerith.

"Uhmm….Hello, I did walk there from here." Blaise said slightly offended he ignored he came through here.

"Do you remember the route?" Cloud asked in a monotone voice.

Blaise thought for a moment and realized something.

He didn't have a clue how he got there!

Seeing the realization on his face, Cloud continued. "There you go. With the state Tifa found you, it's only natural."

"Is…" Aerith started. "Tifa a girl?" Aerith asked innocently.

"Yeah." Cloud answered plainly.

" A girl...friend."

"G-girlfriend? No way!" Cloud spluttered. Blaise just laughed at the display and Aerith giggled.

"You don't have to get **that** upset…" Aerith then was in thought for a second.

"Let's see, Sector 7? I'll show you the way there" Cloud groaned at this.

"You gotta be kidding me, why do you want to put yourself in danger again?"

"I'm used to it." Aerith gave a simple reply. Cloud was surprised.

"Used to it!?" Cloud cried it out. "...I don't know...getting help from a girl." muttered Cloud.

"A girl!" Aerith yelled, she was clearly offended. "What do you mean by that!? You expect me to sit by and listen after hearing you say something like that!?" Before anyone could protest.

"Mom! I'm taking them to Sector 7, I'll be back soon!"

Elmyra came down the stairs.

"But dear…"She tried to protest but she give in. "I give up. "You never listen once you've made up your mind." Aerith smiled at this. "But if you must go why don't you go tomorrow? It's getting late."

At this Blaies checked his watch, and he was surprised that it was 19:46

"Yeah you're right mom." Aerith agreed.

"Aerith please go make the bed." Elmyra asked her, she nodded.

Elmyra then noticed Cloud's eyes.

"Those eyes… Sorry but were you in SOLDIER?" she asked Cloud.

He shrugged. "Rather I used to."

"I don't want to sound ungrateful, after you helped my daughter but." she hesitated for a second.

"Could you please leave before Aerith wakes up?" Blaise knew that it's impossible, because Aerith is a goddamn wizard, who'll wait for them.

"That's what I planned to do." Blaise spoke up, and looked at Cloud who nodded. "She already has enough on her plate."

"Thank you very much." She thanked them and both of them went upstairs.

They went upstairs, and Aerith finished tidying the bed.

"Sector 7 is through Sector 6. Sector 6 is a bit dangerous so you should rest up." Aerith warned us.

They were about the door to their rooms when Aerith spoke up again. "Cloud, Blaise." they turned around. "Good night."

"You too." Blaise said back.

Cloud turned to Blaise. "You take the bed I sleep on the floor."

Blaise wasn't going to argue. Cloud slept on the floor. "Night." Blaise said to Cloud, and they both were fast asleep.

* * *

Reno searched the slums to no avail. The target escaped, and he needs to report this to Tseng. To Hojo must to his pleasure. A few days ago something made the planet freakout, and he wants to find the cause of it. He made a device, that can detect of the who or what it caused if should a Turk come across it.

He was surprised by two things today.

One: A guy from the church, was able to recognize him.

Two: The device responded in the church. It was either of the two bodyguards.

' _This is going to be a long night.'_ Reno thought in annoyance.

* * *

"Blaise wake up." Cloud shook Blaise awake. It was a dreamless sleep.

After he was woken up by Cloud, they tiptoed down the stairs and out of the house.

They met Aerith shortly after they exited the slums.

"Well you guys are up early." It's true, It was around 5 am.

Cloud shook his head in disbelief. "How could I ask you when it could be dangerous?"

Aeris gave a long sigh. "You done? Come I take you two to Sector 7." With that she went forward, and they followed.

While they were making their way on the cracked path they saw something which was slowly making it's way towards them.

Aerith cursed. "Hell house." She said and get her staff ready. Cloud and Blaise drew their weapons as well.

They decided to make a pre-emptive attack on the thing. Aerith had an Ice materia, so he used that, while Blaise and Cloud attacked it from opposite sides. After a slash or two it showed it's true form.

Cloud was able to dodge it's ramming attack. Blaise did too albeit narrowly.

The thrashing around continued, but as a final desperation attack, from the House.

He did a Suicide-drop on Blaise. He felt as the whole weight of crushing, him and slamming him to a wall.

His head was bleeding, and coughed up some blood as well. Cloud ended the creature's life by vertically slicing in two. Aerith quickly ran to him and a light blue energy formed in her hands. She used healing wind to stop the bleeding from him.

After a moment Blaise felt his wound heal and closing. He was fine but still had blood on him.

"You ok?" Asked a concerned Aerith. Blaise just smiled.

"Thanks to you yes." She then pulled out a handkerchief from her pockets.

"Hold still" and started cleaning the blood from his face. Blaise blushed.

"I-I can do this-s too you know." Blaise stuttered out.

"No need to be embarrassed about this." She said. "Wait, don't tell me it's because 'you're getting help from a girl'" Aerith pouted. Blaise snorted.

"I'm not a sexist." She smiled at this. She finished cleaning him and put it back into her pockets.

After a good ten minutes of walking they arrived at the Sector 7 entrance, and the playground.

While Cloud and Aerith were talking, Blaise's mind went somewhere else. He was leaning next to the slide. She looked at Aerith, and she had a sad look in his eyes. ' _As if life laughs at me.'_ So far, Aerith reminded of her sister. The kind, smart nature of her sister. She didn't want to see the parallel. He doesn't know if his sister was left alive, or she met the same end as the rest of them did. ' _And I will have to see her go away too?'_ he shook his head at that.

' _FUCK . THAT!'_ he denied it. ' _Even IF I have to take her place, there is no way in hell she will die!'_ but that fire quickly as it came died down. '... _Yeah...Like I have the power to do that. So far nothing has changed. Everyone so far had to save my ass.'_ he was now looking dejectedly at the ground.

' _What did I put down on the table?'_

"...You ok?" Came the sudden concerned voice of Aerith.

"...I'll be...I hope." Blaise gave an honest answer. Before Aerith could pry about it a Chocobo came in with a Tifa on it's back. Aerith started to follow it to Wall Market.

"Wait!" Cloud shouted after her. "I go alone, you go home!" but she didn't listened.

One thing Blaise was sure about,

He won't cross-dress. Even if It would be funny to see Cloud in a dress, that double-edged sword doesn't worth it to him.

"Cloud!" Blaise got his attention. "You go get Tifa, I get back to Barret and ask him what we missed!" He nodded and headed off to Wall market, while Blaise went to Sector 7.

* * *

Blaise was sprinting to Tifa's bar. He bursted through the door, and everyone was shocked to see him, alive.

"Blaise!" they all exclaimed.

"Nah, I'm just a ghost!" He joked but their faces paled. "Kidding!"

"Where were you?" Barret asked.

"Me and Cloud fell down to Sector 5 slums church, we met a flower lady, helped her escape the turks, rested at her home, and saw Tifa on a chocobo wagon, and Cloud went after it while I came here to ask you what the fuck is going on." Blaise finished his quick recap on the events.

"We saw a guy spying on us, and told he was working for Don Corneo, Tifa went to interrogate the guy." Barret explained.

"Why would a Don spying on us?" Blaise asked the obvious, to keep up appearances.

"No clue, but I have a bad feeling about it." Barret told him.

"...Damn it, of course!" Blaise played as something clicked in him. They looked him in curiosity.

"He must be hired by Shinra!" Blaise exclaimed. "And, IF he already knows we are here…"

It clicked for Barret as for the rest. Their faces was horrified, and it made perfect sense for them the reason Corneo was snooping around here.. "Kid, you are a genius!" Barret praised.

"Wedge, Biggs, Jessie we need to prepared should Shinra come!" Barret ordered and everyone nodded. However they all looked outside. There was a helicopter coming.

' _This will be my test!'_ Blaise thought. ' _If I can even save an extra life from the crashing plates, I just may worth a damn!'_

* * *

 **Aaand done for this chapter. Sorry it took an extra day, but was lazy to write on Saturday, and Sunday. In fact I just wrote the rest of the chapter from when they exit to the Church roof.**

 **And I just realized I misspelled Jessie's name for two whole chapters ;(**

 **See ya guys later!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello guys!**

 **I want to say something I forgot to tell you.**

 **This fic was inspired by two other FF7 SI fic, namely: Testing Fate and**

 **The Stranger From The Sky.**

 **The reason why I'm pointing this out that there will be some similarities with these two. I'm not the most creative person sadly…**

 **Anyway Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 4: Sector 7 Crash Course**

* * *

Everyone from AVALANCHE was frozen to the core. There were Helis and AERO combatants, everywhere.

They were found.

Barret was ready as ready as he could be under the situation. He was not expecting that they would be found so quickly. ' _Should've made multiple hideouts!'_ he cursed mentally.

The problem was, that from most of the group, could only do so much. While they knew how to brawl, fighting a whole army of guys in a frontal assault, is a whole other matter. The only one who can do something other than himself is Blaise.

Blaise was taking a deep breath. He was thinking hard how to make sure to lessen the victims.

He was not an idiot. Sadly he knew that saving every possible person is not happening. But he could still change the numbers of victims drastically!

"Okay everyone," Barret started. "This is gonna be a do or die situation, we have to protect the pillar!" Barret gave the order. "Knowin' those assholes, they wanna bring the whole plate down to make sure not even a puddle of blood remains of us!" he finished. He turned the corner of the street and shooted 3 combatants down in a quick succession.

"Let's go!" Barret motioned them. Blaise was closely behind him. Biggs Wedge, and Jessie were a bit farther away from them, so they wouldn't be so easy picking. Biggs had a combat knife, Jessie had a handgun, and Wedge had a rifle with him.

Blaise equipped the cover materia he found earlier. He didn't knew however how, this should work. He remembered that Cloud told him that the knowledge will be poured into him, while the materia is equipped. ' _Then again cover materia is situational'_ Blaise thought while running behind Barret. He noticed a combatant behind a metal sheet, as did Barret. He opened fire at him. While under the suppressive fire, Blaise ran at the cover, and went around it. There was an extra soldier, but they didn't expect such that someone would rush at them. Blaise made quick work of them, by cutting them up. He learned to not think about killing people. It also wasn't the time. In fact Blaise was stressed. He was desperately thinking, how he could either split from the group to tell the inhabitants of this Sector to 'get the hell out of here' or to convince the others, to evacuate the sector. This way they might survive this cluster fuck that's about to go down.

The group hurried to the pillar, and luckily they arrived before Shinra.

"We gonna go up and protect the controls! The stairway and the platform fairly linear so we might be able to stop them!" Barret once again barked the order, and quickly started making his way up. Blaise clenched his hand tight. This is the moment he hoped he could convince them, since splitting from the group is impossible without appearing suspicious.

"Guys!" Blaise exclaimed, still on ground floor, while the trio just stopped on the first few steps on the staircase, Barret around a fourth of the staircase, though he was about out of earshot.

"What?" Biggs asked, wondering why he stopped and why he looked so tense. Scratch that, it's stupid not to be tense in this situation.

"Evacuate Sector 7!" He said in a dead serious voice. "I help Barret protect the pillar!" Blaise told them.

"Don't be stupid!" Jessie exclaimed. "You guys will be even more outnumbered!"

"You don't think we already are!" Blaise rebutted. "If that pillar falls, it will be because of us! Shinra will point it at us! If we let these people will die we are not different from them, we will be buying as much time as we can, at least even IF we die here, the flame of AVALANCHE will inspire a lot of other people for the cause. Not to talk to you guys, but Barret and I are the heavy hitters. When you guys would go up there you three would…die" He finished his speech with absolute conviction but they could hear that at the end he didn't said if but when.

Did he knew them this well in such a short amount of time. Wedge gave a chuckle.

"Next leader in line?" he teased, but then his voice turned serious. "You know Barret will kill you when you catch up to him, right?"

Jessie was shocked "What!?" she couldn't believe what Wedge was saying.

Blaise gave a faint smirk. "He'll be busy shooting at Shinra soldiers."

Jessie tried to protest. "But-" but she was cut off by Biggs.

"He's right, we can make a difference and help these people avoid the crossfire." he looked at his two best friend. "Come we wasted enough time here, and you!" he looked at Blaise.

"Get your ass up there!" Blaise nodded. Wedge and Biggs started making their was to the populace, Jessie sighed and went to Blaise and pushed her pistol to him, which looked like an M9 with a longer barrel.

"You might need this and these ammo for range." She looked into his eyes. "We are counting on you!" With that Jessie started to catch up with the rest of them. Blaise was taken aback. No one really said such words to him. This meant a lot to him.

But he realised something important.

"Wait! I never shot with one of these before!" he shouted to her.

She turned back for a second. "Just aim and pull the trigger!" she yelled back.

Blaise sighed, and he double timed to reach for the top.

He had a pistol in his left hand and a sword in his right.

He only met two aero combatants on his way to the top. One was trying to land just after the railing of the stairs, but Blaise managed to blind side him and cut through him.

The other was still some distance away, but opened fire at him. Blaise managed to block them, and started shooting back. The pistol didn't have much recoil, but his aim sucked. He missed 3 shots at him, but the 4th and 5th managed to him his rotor, which made him to fall to his death.

Blaise managed to reach the top. He was slightly out of breath due to how much he ran up to the top. Barret was surrounded by a group of 5 combatants. Blaise said 'hi by catching by cutting in half two of them, giving Barret an opportunity for an attack. "Dodge!" he yelled. Blaise rolled out of the way. An explosion took place in the middle of the group. It was Barret's Grenade Bomb limit break!

"What took you so long!" Barret barked, at him but noticed that he is the only one here.

"Where are the rest!?" Barret demanded. Blaise looked him in the eye.

"They are evacuating the people of this sector. Only the two of us are going to protect this pillar." Blaise explained.

Barret's head was red from anger. "THOSE IDIOTS! ARE THEY TRY-' His rant was stopped by Blaise.

"I told them to…" he interrupted his rant.

Barret's shock quickly turned to anger. "Are you out of your mind?!" he shouted at him.

"No, I'm not Barret!" Blaise yelled back before Barret had a chance to continue the shouting he continued. "We are fighting an army, and you don't realise that this is a losing battle we are fighting right now! Even IF they wouldn't have listened to me it still would be!

All we doing is delaying the inevitable, they are saving those who they can before time runs out!" He finished then took a deep breath to calm himself. "We can continue shouting at each other, or we can cover each other's back leader."

Barret huffed indignantly. "We gonna have a long conversation after this is over."

Blaise huffed as well. "I know what I'm doing. I won't apologise for convincing them not to participate on this suicide mission." Barret regarded him with a look, but decided to shoot the aero combatants, while Blaise also started shooting, while defending the staircase.

* * *

Cloud, Tifa and Aerith, just finished their trip to the Don. He was hired by Shinra and informed them about AVALANCHE's base of operation. They made their way through the trainyard. They were able to see a Heli circling around the pillar.

But they also saw how people are fleeing from the Sector. With Biggs, Wedge, Jessie helping them

"This way people! Only bring what you must!" Biggs shouted as he showed the way to Sector 8

"Guys!" Tifa yelled at them somewhat relieved that they are all right. But then noticed that they are short of two members. "Where are Barret and Blaise?"

Wedge decided answer. "They are at the top of the pillar, trying to buy us time to evacuate them." Then a flash of realization hit him. "Damn we forgot about Marlene!" he muttered out horrified. How could they forgot about that little angel in the middle of a life and death situation?

Tifa's eyes widened. She couldn't ask them to go for her, they already have their hands full atm. She turned to Aerith. "Aerith could you go to my bar? There's a little girl there named Marlene. Could you take her to a safe place?" she asked.

Aerith gave a serious nod and headed off towards the bar.

Cloud looked at the pillar, and noticed that the possibility of them being overrun is very high.

"They need our help Tifa." She nodded and sped through the stairs. They cut through a whole lot of them, on their way up.

* * *

Blaise was starting to feel fatigued. He never was a guy with monstrous stamina, but he was surprised he was only started to feel fatigued after like what...20th...40th combatant?

At least now he knew how the cover materia worked. One of the shots would have hit Barret, but for a moment the world was in slow motion for him and saw the bullet and with unbelievable speed he managed to block it off.

Blaise was currently, crouching, while using his sword to support his weight. He wanted 1 minute break before continue-ing goddamn it! He heard loud footsteps from the stairs.

' _Great another wave!'_ he groaned inwardly. ' _When will Cloud and Tifa finally arrive?'_

The second he finished his thought, two very familiar face came up.

"About fucking time you guys showed up!" Blaise told them. But then he mentally cursed. He just might have made himself suspicious.

"Sorry it took so long." Tifa apologized, not being suspicious in the slightest. Cloud brushed his hair. "Thought I let you guys have the spotlight." And his 'I'm Cloud-cool-mercenary' attitude button is on.

Frankly Blaise right now was not in the mood for his facade.

Before Blaise could snap, Barret snapped first. "Quit your yapping, and fight!" He was shooting at the helicopter. The one which Blaise knew who to watch out for.

Reno.

As Barret was shooting at the thing, a Turk jumped out of it, and sprinted towards the control panel. "Too late, Once I push this-" his gloating was halted by Blaise almost cutting his hand off. Reno managed to jump back at the last second.

"Define late would you?" Blaise had a rare kind of smirk on him. A cocky one.

In his past life he never had a reason to be cocky. But right now he had one.

After all he just postponed the demise of this sector.

"You just had to make my job harder didn't you?" he asked nonchalantly, and pulled out his rod.

"Anyday if it involves a massacre!" Blaise said resolutely. And everyone had his weapon ready. Barret started shooting at Reno who just shooted a light out of his rod, and trapped Barret into a pyramid.

Blaise turned his attention to the pyramid, and started attacking it. In real life it's much tougher to break it open. Reno tried to use this as window to push the button, but Tifa intercepted him, and elbowed him in the stomach, and backhanded him in the face.

Tifa was occupying Reno while Cloud and Blaise were thrashing the pyramid. After 10 seconds the pyramid failed.

"You suit-stuff, it was fucking hot in there!" Barret was angry, it was next to unbearable in there. There was very little oxygen too.

"That's the point." he deadpanned. While rubbing his face. Tifa advanced on him, but Reno managed to dodge her uppercut, and hit her with his rod.

But the rod had a paralyzing effect, and right now, Tifa couldn't really move. Once again Reno tried to push the button, but narrowly dodged Blaise's last bullet. Cloud rushed at Reno, with a Braver. He just side stepped from him, but before he could hit him, Cloud put Reno on the defensive, and had to block Cloud swings with all his might in his arms.

Barret couldn't really shoot at him, because he didn't want to hit Cloud by accident, And Blaise couldn't really get close to him atm, because of Cloud's giant ass sword. It had more reach that his sword. But that was not all.

Blaise had a dilemma. Reno isn't really a bad person, and they would need his help later, but here he could potentially, die. If he dies that could mean more complication later. He cursed. He couldn't let the plate fall, but neither could he kill him. ' _The few or the many huh?'_ he mused. After all it looked like he had to choose.

His musing was interrupted by Tifa getting out of paralysis, and Reno suddenly.

"Not bad, but I have to high tail it. Later" he waved us goodbye and ran away.

Blaise was confused. ' _Why would Reno just fuck off? He didn't pushed the button'_

"We won! Shinra can't take the heat!" Barret cheered. He was about to rub this to Blaise who was pessimistic, but then the sound of a helicopter came.

The heli started to hover somewhat above the platform, and the door opened.

It had the leader of the Turks, Tsung in it.

He gave them a clap, which was interesting, considering he isn't the sarcastic type.

"Not bad from a group of misfits, I admit I'm impressed how you managed to give my colleague a run for his money." He stopped clapping. "However you failed."

Barret balled his fist. "How did we fail ya jackass!? Did he forget to tell you he didn't pressed the button!?"

Tsung merely chuckled at this and pointed his index finger above the pillar.

They looked up and everyone's eye bulged out.

Above them, there were snatchel charges attached to the pillar.

"You son of a bitch!" Barret yelled, and was about to shoot at him, when Tsung brought someone out of the Heli.

"I wouldn't try that, you would hurt our special guest."

It was Aerith.

"Aerith!" Tifa exclaimed in horror

"Oh," Tsung mocked a surprise. "You two know each other?"

"How nice of me to let you see each other one last time. You should thank me." Tsung finished in a patronizing tone.

Blaise only now noticed something in Tsung's hand. He doubted it was a detonator, but it had an antenna. It looked like some kind of detector. ' _Why does he have that?'_ he thought.

Tsung swept the device from left to right. Then his eyes showed surprise for a moment. ' _That kid in the black hoodie, must be it, or that blond individual.'_

"What's your name?" Tsung asked while pointedly looking at Blaise. Blaise was perplexed.

' _Why is he interested in my name? This can't be good.'_ he thought.

"Blaise." He answered with a cold edge to his voice. Cloud seeing Aerith cut to the chase.

"What are you gonna do with Aerith!?" he demanded angrily.

Tsung put a finger on his chin as he was in thought. "I haven't decided. Our orders were to find and catch the last remaining Ancient. It took us quite a while, but I can finally report it to the president."

"Tifa don't worry they're okay!" she said, but Tsung slapped Aerith.

"Aerith!" Tifa shouted after her in worry. The helicopter turned but before Tsung could shut the door she managed to yell. "Hurry and get out!" and with that the explosives went off, and the heli, flew away.

Everyone frantically looked around for a way to get out of here. Barret unhooked a large hook.

"Everyone here, Grab on me!" he yelled. Tifa was in front of him, was on his right, and Blaise, was on his left. They swinged across to Sector 6, narrowly dodging the falling plate.

The shook took them off the hook, and everyone hit the ground hard.

When everyone recovered, they went to see the result of the destruction.

The sight was… catastrophic.

There were some legs and arms hanging out of the rubble, and blood leaking.

Blaise averted his eyes from the sight.

Barret ran at the rubble desperately. "MARLENE! BIGGS! WEDGE! JESSIE!" he shouted the name of her adopted daughter, and friends. In anguish he started to shoot and punch the rubble. "DAMN IT!" he roared.

"DAMN IT ALL TO HELL!" Barret's eyes were watery. From rage and sadness.

"Barret stop. Please stop Barret." Tifa pleaded, and she also barely held together.

Barret stopped for a second, he started to calm down.

But then he looked at Blaise with fury in his eyes.

"THIS IS YOUR FAULT!" he started to work himself up again. Blaise just looked at him.

"If you haven't told them to evacuate it instead, of fighting, they could have disarmed the bomb! This would have been preventable!" Barret yelled the top of his lung at him.

Blaise was taking shaking breaths. Barret lashed out on him. .Nothing!

Didn't he saw the they already had contingency plan for this shit!

It was the same shit he had enough of his previous life.

He can help anyone any number of times.

He can be nicest person who helps anyone who needs help.

But...One fuck up. One time you refuse to help anyone.

Or just simply needs a scapegoat.

It's always him! And If he refuses to help you once then you're scum of the earth.

"My fault...MY FAULT!?" Blaise snapped. "HOW THE FUCK COULD IT MY FAULT! HAVE YOU SEEN HOW FUCKING HIGH THOSE BOMBS WERE PLANTED! NO THEY COULDN'T HAVE DONE ANYTHING THEY WOULD HAVE-" he bit his tongue, he almost said what would have happened anyway. He took a deep breath. "Don't you dare point it at me."

"Both of you! Cool it!" Cloud ordered. "Barret it wasn't his fault pointing fingers at him isn't going to solve anything!"

Barret took it in what Blaise said. And he regretted instantly. He just… He didn't knew how to word it. He just felt so angry, it boiled over.

When everyone cooled down Tifa was in thought. ' _'Don't worry they're okay' '_ she recycled what Aerith said and then it hit her.

Meanwhile Blaise checked his clothing, and noticed his hoodie was all torn up. ' _Great, now all I have is my fucking T-shirt.'_ thought Blaise in irritation, He undressed his hoodie, and throw it away. He then looked over to everyone and other dust, and dirt, their clothes were fine. ' _Seriously, what are those made of?'_ he questioned.

Barret came up to him. "Look." Barret eyes were red from the tears, but he had a somewhat apologetic face. "I was out of line okay, I didn't meant-" Blaise halted him with a hand.

Blaise sighed. "Look I get it, I 're anger and frustration went overboard. You didn't mean it and..." Blaise thought about it too. "And I'm sorry for-" Barret just shook his head.

"The hell you sorry for? I was the one who snapped." he chuckled mirthlessly.

"Barret I think they're okay!" Tifa exclaimed. Barret just looked at him with emptiness.

"Marlene, Wedge, Biggs, Jessie. They probably all right!" Tifa said, and Barret's eyes were filled with hope. "R-really?"

"She said 'Don't worry, they're okay.' She must have meant them." Tifa told him. Then she looked dejectedly to the ground."But the people of Sector 7..."

Barret's anger risen up again. "Those damned Shinra, killing the planet and Its people, just to make their wallet full of gold." Barret finished.

"Yeah, but…" Tifa started. But didn't finish it.

"But we also must be accountable for our own actions." chimed in Blaise.

"Heck do you mean?" asked Barret.

"Barret whether you like it or not, we ARE somewhat responsible for this bucket of shit." Blaise elaborated. "We were the ones whose base was at Sector 7, and the consequences of our actions were paid by them." Seeing that Barret was about fume again. He quickly elaborated. "Don't misunderstand me, I'm not saying that _Shinra is innocent_ " he said that with distaste, "But merely acknowledge our faults."

Barret decided to digest what Blaise said, but Tifa was surprised at his maturity.

' _Most people not just in his age, but older than him would just love to shift blame whoever they see fit.'_ she thought.

"Somehow we must pay them back. I'm going to make sure." Barret declared. He then looked at Cloud. "What about you?" Cloud was in thought, and decided to walk away, towards the sector 5 slums.

"Where do you think he's goin'? Barret asked them. Tifa suddenly realised where he might be heading. "Oh! Aerith!" Tifa exclaimed.

"Oh, yeah that girl." Barret said out loud. "What's up with her?"

"I don't really know…" She answered truthfully. "But she's the one I left Marlene with."

"Damn! Marlene!" Barret was eager to find her daughter. He started to run after Cloud, but turned back. "Tifa, Blaise. There ain't no turning back now." with that he hurried after the ex-SOLDIER. Tifa and Blaise glanced on more look upon the ruins of Sector 7 and hurried to catch up with them.

* * *

"Cloud!" Tifa shouted after him. They were able to catch up to him.

Cloud stopped. Barret went to him up to him. "Take me to Marlene, and the gang!"

"You going to help Aerith?" Tifa asked him. Cloud nodded.

"Yeah…" He answered. "But before that there's something I want to know." He then turned his back to them. "It's about the Ancients." He then had a far away look on his face.

He was clutching his head with his hand and like when you suddenly get a very painful headache. "...Sephiroth?" he me mumbled, then got down in on knee.

Tifa hurried to him, with concern. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah." was Cloud's simple response. They got up and they hurried to Elmyra's house.

* * *

When they arrived, at Elmyra's house. There were Wedge and Jessie sitting by the table.

Barret was relieved as were the rest of the group. But the happiest was Blaise.

' _I...did it.'_ he thought in disbelief. ' _I actually did it!'_ he mentally cheered.

"You guys are actually alive!" Barret exclaimed relieved. But he soon noticed their short of one member. "Where's Biggs." Both of them had sour expression on their face.

"He's upstairs sleeping. He was badly injured." Elmyra informed him.

Then looked at two individuals."Cloud, Blaise is it? It's about Aerith is it?" she asked.

Cloud shook his head and looked dejectedly on the ground in shame.

"I'm sorry Shinra have her." Elmyra sighed.

"I know. They took him just outside of here." She told them.

"It was our fault." Jessie said in a depressed tone. "There were Shinra troops in civilian clothing, and got the drop on us. They gave her a choice. Either she runs away, and they kill us all, or she turns herself in, and they let us and Marlene go." she looked on the ground in shame.

Barret balled his fist in anger. Not only did they threatened to kill his friends, but also Marlene too!

"But why is the Shinra's after Aerith." Cloud asked.

"Aerith is an Ancient. The sole survivor." Elmyra answered truthfully.

"But aren't you her real mother?" Barret asked in confusion.

After a moment of silence, Elmyra took a deep breath.

"...Not her real mother. It must have been around fifteen years ago.."

And with that Elmyra started to tell the group, how his husband went to the Wutai war, How one day she found Aerith and her mother in the station. How she told her that her husband returned to the planet. And how Shinra paid her a visit several times.

"...It's amazing how she avoided Shinra all these years." Cloud said after Elmyra told the story.

"The Shinra needs her alive, so I doubt they would harm her." said Elmyra.

"She also brought that little girl, here but as your friend already told you, Tsung gave her a cruel choice. I can assure you she doesn't blame any of you."

Barret stepped up. "I'm sorry but that little girl, Marlene is my daughter...I'm really sorry."

Elmyra was taken aback. "Your her father?" Barret nodded. And Elmyra angrily asked.

"How in the world could you leave alone a child like that!?"

"Please don't start with that," Barret asked. "I think about it all the time. What would happen to Marlene if I.." he shook his head refusing to finish the thought.

"But you gotta understand something. I don't have an answer. I wanna be with Marlene all the time, but I gotta fight. 'Cause if I'm not the planet's gonna die. So I'm gonna keep fighting!" Barret finished resolutely. Then continued in a lower voice.

"I'm really worried about her, and I wanna be with her all the time." he then threw his hands up. "See I'm going in circles now!" he said half jokingly.

Elmyra seemed to accept this. "I think I understand what you're saying. She's upstairs sleeping. Why don't you go and check on her?" Elmyra asked.

Barret doesn't needed to be told twice, and walked upstairs.

Cloud decided to go upstairs as well.

Tifa decided to talk with Jessie and Wedge. Blaise was also about to go upstairs to check on Marlene. After all he didn't really spoken to her since his arrival to Gaia.

But before he could Elmyra pulled him away.

"I'm sorry youngman but can I talk to you for a second?" she asked. Blaise raised an eyebrow as to why would she want to speak to her, but nonetheless he complied.

Blaise followed her to the kitchen where there only the two of them.

"Youngman I would like to ask you if you know, why you giving off a strange aura to Aerith?" Elmyra asked calmly and kindly, but also seriously.

Blaise blinked, "Strange...aura?" he asked confusedly.

Elmyra sighed. "I'm sorry, It's just that after Aerith wished you goodnight yesterday she came down to help me wash the dishes. She told me that you give off a strange aura, something that she couldn't really describe around you."

Blaise's gears were turning on his head. ' _She knows!'_ Blaise thought frozen in place. But he quickly snapped out of it. ' _No, she suspects at best that I'm not from this world. Otherwise she would have told her.'_ after composing himself Blaise had to resort to something he hated with passion.

He had to lie.

"No, I'm sorry, but I got no clue." Blaise lied while looking directly into her eyes.

Elmyra believed him. "I'm sure it's nothing, but just wanted to know if you know the reason why." Elmyra assured him. With that they both got out of the kitchen, and saw that the Trio of, Cloud,Barret and Tifa were waiting at the doorway.

"We are going to rescue Aerith." Cloud said to Blaise. "You coming?" Cloud asked, although he already knew the answer to that.

"I feel insulted by the question." Blaise told him, Cloud just smirked.

"Let's go to Wall Market." Cloud declared. "We might find a way to their HQ there."

Since they ain't got a better lead, they decided to follow Cloud there.

* * *

 **That's all folks!**

 **In the next chapter I'll cover most, if not all of the remaining stuff from the Midgar section. I know this is shorter chapter compared to the last one, but I thought I finish it here.**

 **See ya guys later!**


	5. READ TILL THE END! I'm sorry!

**I know I know.**

 **I'm really sorry guys. I do. But this isn't a new chapter, and more like an update which you guys deserve. Let's get the main dog out of the room.**

 **Q:Why no new chapter?**

 **A: Well. FF7 is one of my favourite game. I always wanted to write an SI story.**

 **However in hindsight, I really didn't thought things through. This is a garbage story, so far, with a few good points. I was absolutely timid, and action scenes still not my strong points. (Although I think the pillar part was cool in my opinion)**

 **While I normally wouldn't agree with a Guest reviewer, he was right that this indeed a bad story. Errors and etc. etc.**

 **While this part is abandoned, it WILL be rewritten at some point in the future!**

 **Hope you guys understand it. Cheers!**


	6. Re-boot is up!

**Hello everyone! I rebooted this SI with a new name.** **Learning To Live Again.**


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